40H.P. Blavatsky & Annie Besant, editors - Lucifer Vol. VII, No. 40 December, 1890 by gnosisclassics

LUCIFER. T h e E d ito r s do not hold themselves responsible fo r any opinions, w hether religious, p h ilosop h ical or social, expressed in signed articles.

^forlorn Hopes. “ H o p e w ith o u t a c tio n is a b a r r e n u n d o e r . . ” F elth am .

“ F rom

th e lo w e s t d e p th , th e r e th e lo ftie s t h e ig h t.”

p a th

C arlyle.

N E year more at its eleventh hour. A grain of sand on the brink of eternity, preparing to fall and disappear in the fathom less Sand-dial of Father Kronos, the cruel measurer—in space and time. One fortnight more, and 1890—the year welcomed by the teeming millions of the civilized lands, as it now seems but yesterday, will be replaced with the last stroke of midnight by 1891. The Old Year that was born amongst us, that grew so rapidly beside us, became adult, mature, and has now aged— has lived its life, while we, mortals, have lived but a portion of ours. And now (for many of us), the two will soon become things of the Past. And what hast thou given us, or left us to remember thee by, O year 1890? Not much, in truth, save evil, disappointment and sorrow. Born in the lap of Dame “ Influenza,” thy days have rolled on— as those of thy predecessors have, and as the days of thy successors will, we fear—in the mephitic atmosphere of political and personal strifes, and also, alas, of very unseemly squabbles among Theosophists. Men have lived thee through, O departing year, as usual, more in envy and bitter hatred of each other than brotherly love ; and the sister nations —again, as usual—have passed thee in arrogant glorification of self, in vilification of others, and perhaps, in a trifle more lying and bitter, international slanders. Thus, thou art dying as thou hast lived : in the loud din of mutual condemnation, of unexpected exposures, the

crash of gigantic fortunes, the ruin of great reputations, and in a pandemonium worthy of all the Evil Spirits and “ goblins damn’d ” of our glorious age of pretentions to righteousness, and skin-deep civili zation. . . . Good bye, o l d y e a r , good bye; thou blessed by so few and cursed by so many!

Woe to us, men and races born in the tail-end of the present and most dreadful cycle! Mystics and Theosophists, think that the world will be living for the next decade over a volcano. For the year 1891 is the eldest son of the last Septenary in the said cycle. On February 17th next, will commence the last series of seven years which will close the first cycle of 5,000 years of Kaliyuga—the “ Black Age ” of the Hindu Brahmins. Thus, in truth, neither the blessings nor the curses of men can influence, let alone alter, the Karma of the nations and men which they have generated in their respective Pasts. But people are blind to this truth. They see the decrees of retributive sentences carried out in the marshalling of public events, but refuse, nevertheless, to comprehend their true causes. “ Oh,” they cry out, “ it is the immorality and untruthful nature of Mr. A that has caused this new public scandal. It is a calamity brought, through the hypocrisy of A, on B, and C, and D, and thus, through them, it is affecting a whole nation ! We righteous men had nought to do with all this. Ergo, our plain duty is now to vilify A, agreeably to our Pharisaical social code, to express our holy horror of him, and wash our hands of the rest.” . . . Oh, you dear private and political vipers ! Has it never struck you, that if the nightmare of a dreaming goose, causing the whole slumbering flock to awake and cackle— could save Rome, that your cackle too, may also produce as unexpected results ? That if A, or B, or C,—better think at once, of the whole alphabet— has broken a commandment or two, it is simply because, like all of you, he is the product of his times and century. But don't you know, that the building of a nest by a swallow, the tumbling of a dirt-grimed urchin down the back-stair, or the chaff of your nursery maid with the butcher’s boy, may alter the face of nations, as much as can the downfall of a Napoleon ? Yea, verily so ; for the links within links and the concatenations of this Nidanic* Universe are past our understanding. Every transgression in the private life of a mortal, is, according to * Nidanas, o r t h e c o n c a t e n a t i o n o f c a u s e s a n d e f f e . - t s , i n t h e E a s t e r n p h i l o s o p h y .

Occult philosophy, a double-edged sword in the hand of Karma ; one for the transgressor, the other for the family, nation, sometimes even for the race, that produced him. If its one sharp edge cuts him badly, its other edge may, at a future day, chop into mincemeat those morally responsible for the sins of their children and citizens. One Cainnation is made to bite the dust, while its slaughtered Abel-sister resurrects in glory.................... “ He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone ” —at the guilty. These words appear to have been said in vain, as even Christian law sneers at their practical application. “ Heathen ” Theosophy alone tries to remember, in our modern day, these noble words addressed to one caught in adultery: “ And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more ; ” and alone, again, bows in deep reverence before the divine mercy and Buddhalike wisdom of this judgment. But then we are only infidels and “ wretched atheists.” Yet this is the key to the seeming “ contradic tions ” in our teachings: we accept and try to follow almost every injunction of Christ—whether the latter be historical or ideal—while feeling the greatest contempt and irritation against that which is now called Christianity but is simply unadulterated Pharisaism.

Prophecy is at a discount in our times. Prophets, both Christian and Heathen, have fallen off in grace. They stand low in the estimation of society, and are out of touch altogether with that portion of mankind which calls itself “ cultured.” If the soothsayers are no longer stoned by order of the Sanhedrims of our civilized nations, it is because they are no longer believed in. But who is, in our modern day of Didymi ? The city Augurs “ on the Stock Exchange ” are, perhaps, the only prophets Society now bows to. For the chief Temple wherein our races worship, is the temple of Mammon and his evil imps ; and if his High-priests—the Bulls and Bears— are listened to, it is only because all know that they prophesy but those events which they have themselves carefully prepared, set going and thus “ made to pass.” To these soothsayers too, methinks, the Karmic tail-end of 1890 was not entirely propitious. But let them go. In the good old days of the preceding Yugas, however, it does seem as if our earliest Aryan ancestors—whose eldest descendants are now contemptuously included among the “ inferior races ”— knew and foresaw clearly, the moral state in which civilised

mankind

would be, in the present era.* For see what is prophesied in the Puranas, generally, and in the Vishnu Purana, especially. The following is an abridgment from the fourth volume of the latter (Wilson and Fitz Ed. Hall). In those days there will be reigning over the earth, Kings of churlish spirit, of violent temper, addicted to falsehood and wickedness. They in authority will inflict death on women, children and cows, (the sacred animal) ; they will seize upon the property of their subjects and b e i n t e n t o n t h e w i v e s o f o t h e r s ; they will be of limited power, and will often rapidly rise and fall; their lives will be short, their desires insatiable, and they will display but little piety . . . the world will be wholly depraved. . . Wealth alone will confer rank; wealth will be the only source of devotion ; passion the sole bond of union between the sexes ; falsehood the only means of success in litigation ; and women objects merely of sensual gratification. [Has

the Prophet caught a glimpse in the astral light of the K r e u t z e r S o n a t a of Tolstoi, we wonder !] The Brahmanical thread (or the priestly array) will alone constitute a Brahman ; dishonesty will be the universal means of success ; impudence and presumption will be substituted for learning ; liberality will be devotion; a man, if rich, will be alone reputed pure . . . fine clothes will be dignity. . . Amidst all castes, he who is the strongest will reign over the earth. . . The people, unable to bear the heavy load of taxes, will take refuge beyond the seas, amongst the valleys of the mountains . . . etc., etc., etc.

The last sentence looks very much like a prophecy regarding the immense wave of European emigration. However it may be, no modern critic could depict more accurately the present state of things. Is it not verily, “ as it is written ” ? Are not most of our Kings of “ churlish spirit,” some addicted to falsehood, cruelty and wickedness ? Are not our Royal and Imperial Highnesses, and Kings, only too truly “ intent on the wives of others” ? And which'of them is a genius, since the days of King Arthur, and the good old kings in the Fairy Tales? Does not wealth in “ our day, confer rank” much sooner than real merit; and craft and cunning, false evidence and cant, ensure the best success, before both courts and juries ? Outward form alone constitutes in nine cases out of ten, a “ man of God ” a priest or clergyman. Women are to this day— in England, before the law at any rate— merely the goods and chattels of their husbands, and mere objects of lust but for only too many. Slanders—private or * d e s c r ip tio n is s t a t e d in th e years o

I n Vishnu a n d o t h e r Putinas, ( t h e f o r m e r b e i n g s u r e l y p r e - c h r i s t i a n ) t h e o f t h e e v i l s o f Kaliyugn a p p l i e s m o s t e v i d e n t l y t o o u r p r e s e n t p e r i o d . I t t h e m (a) t h a t t h e “ B l a c k A g e ” w i l l l a s t 1 , 2 0 0 divine y e a r s , (i.e.,4 3 2 , 0 0 c o f f m o r t a l s ) ; a n d ( 3) t h a t t h e s t a t e p r o p h e s i e d f o r o u r w o r l d w i l l h a p p e n toward the end of theJirst h a l f o f t h e f i r s t “ y e a r ” o f t h e K a l i y u g a . N o w a s w e k n o w fr o m t h e t e a c h in g s o f o c c u lt s c ie n c e th a t o n e o f t h e s e c r e t s u b - c y c le s o r “ y e a is o f t h e D e v a s ” l a s t s about 1 2 , 0 0 0 o f o u r c o m m o n y e a r s , t h i s b r i n g s t h e c a l c u l a t i o n t o t h e e n d o f t h is f ir s t c y c l e o f 5 ,0 0 0 y e a r s s in c e t h e p r e s e n t Y u g a c o m m e n c e d 3 ,1 0 2 v e a r s n . c . , b e tw e e n th e 1 7 th a n d j8 th o f F e b r u a r y . '

public—are rarely, if ever, save in cases of blackmail, directed against wealthy men; thus, the rich alone have a chance of being “ reputed pure ” as the prophet has it. But what of the poor man, of one who has no means of going to law for redress : in England, for instance, where justice is the most expensive thing in the Kingdom, and where it is sold in ounces, and paid in pounds—what ot him ? And what of one, who, besides being poor, is falsely accused, of that which he can no more disprove than his enemy can prove—with the handicap, moreover, against him, that while slander and bad reports require no proofs to be eagerly believed in by charitable Christians at large, he can no more disprove the charge—say, of having murdered his mother-in-law in a dream—than he can pay his “ costs ” in court ? For, does not the smallest law-suit generally equal three fires and a successful burglary ? How is one so situated, to protect and vindicate himself? In the eyes of the whole world, save of his friends, he stands accused of everything his traducers can invent, and thus he remains at the mercy of any blackguard who owes him a grudge. And oh, the terrible helplessness, and the mental agony of the victim, especially in lands of blessed freedom of speech and press, such as England and America ! Do what he may, the slandered man will go down into his grave with a name left dragging in the mud of calumny ; and the inheritance of his children will be the opprobrium attached to that name. Blessed are the deaf, the dumb and the blind, for they will not hear themselves traduced and condemned; not in this world of sorrow, at any rate.

But how far was the Puranic prophet right when foretelling among other things that “ presumption will be substituted for learning,” in this, our “ black” Age? Something might be said upon the subject, but silence is in some cases golden. Were truth always declared and spoken, life would become very soon not worth living for the sincere man. Moreover, Dr. Koch, of Berlin, has just caused a lightning rise in the stocks of science, and it would be rather dangerous now to take the latter to task for its “ presumptions.” Nevertheless, there’s always “ balm in Gilead.” The year 1890, has carried off a considerable number of victims, especially among royalty and the “ upper ten,” and its sudden and mad changes of weather have nigh driven frantic the legions of gouty and rheumatic humanity. But the past year, now

happily dying, has redeemed its sins by bringing forward a new benefactor of men, in the shape of a Neapolitan professor. This favoured mortal has just found out that growing old, with its gradual weakening of organisms and final decrepitude, is not in the programme of human life at all (nor of animal either); and that perennial youth, from birth till death, is really the lot of all that lives and breathes—even during Kaliyuga. That which causes decay and old age is —again a bacillus, you see, and the professor has just discovered this cunning microbe. The Lord love him—not the bacillus, but the professor, of course ! Just fancy the magic effects of this new “ grandest discovery ” of the age! One has but to invent and prepare a lymph suited for the complete destruction of the monster, inoculate oneself with it and— remain young for ever. This particular lymph is not yet prepared, nor has any one, so far as we have heard, begun to work at its invention. Yet, we have no doubt—in view of the lightning speed of the progress of applied science, that the new lymph will prove a terrible rival to Dr. Brown-Sequard’s “ elixir of life,” which, we are not sorry to hear, is fast coming to grief. At any rate it is sure to give a point to some of our bottled insecticides, the “ unparalleled flea-catchers ” and the like. The latter is also warranted to kill “ instantaneously.” You have but to catch your flea, say the instruc tions, imprison it by dropping it delicately with thumb and finger into the bottle (like King Solomon’s djin), cork it up, and—our acrobatic enemy has lived! But the triumphs of chemistry can never parallel, let alone surpass, those of modern bacteriology. We may imagine the roaring popularity of the new lymph—when ready. No more grey hair, shaky teeth with their widowed gums, bleared eyes, deafness, and what is more important still—no more wrinkles. The modern Ninon de Lenclos of fashionable society will be able to dispense with her daily prayer, “ Oh Lord, grant me the favour of confining my wrinkles to my heels ! ” Every grandmother will have the privilege of marrying as a “ blooming and blushing bride ’’ her own grandson’s school-fellow; nor will any more weeping maidens have to be sacrificed to the purse and title of noblemen in their dotage. No decrepit frames will meet our eye— as the one that so impressed the Prince of Kapilavastu, Gautama, that it became the first step that led him to his Buddhaship. Like the Homeric Gods and the heroes of the golden age, we will live and die in the full rosy bloom of youth, and “ sweet sixteen” will be no longer at a premium. Truly, where are the “ seven sciences ” of the pre-christian ages, when compared to our seventy-seven sciences of modern times. And what shall we

say of the latter, after Pope has declared, even of the former, that— “ G o o d s e n s e , w h ic h o n ly is t h e g if t o f H e a v e n ; A n d th o u g h n o s c ie n c e , fu lly w o r th th e s e v e n ? ”

Withal, Science applied or pure is a mighty power in our times : especially applied Science in its experimental garb, whether dealing with microbe or practical cannibalism. If it has destroyed religion, it has on the other hand established and guided civilisation, which it is now carrying even into the heart of the darkest continents. Therein, its practical observations of comparative “ cruelties”—as between Siberia and Africa—have been especially successful. Let us make obeisance to “ Modern Research.” . To destroy old age may be truly glorious ; yet we, Theosophists, at any rate many of us, would rather decline the offer. Eternal youth is an alluring, but dangerous gift. Youth is quite long enough as it is, to allow each mortal to spin a Karmic web vast enough to cover the span of several successive lives with a dark veil of sorrow. We agree with the Greek chorus in ( E d i p u s , that the happiest fate for man is not to be born at all, while the second best is to die—no sooner he sees the light. Sophocles was a wise man in advising mankind to lament rather than rejoice over every new birth. He, whom the Gods love, dies young, Menander tells us. At any rate, old age is less dangerous and more respectable in every country than youth, a defect of which, luckily, man is very soon cured. Progress toward old age is the first approach to the secure haven of life, for every one; and, as Briick has it, it is far from being an evil. The wave of every individual life, he says, rises out of the sea of Being to return to its parent source once more ; and in exceptionally healthy people the vital functions become weakened gradually, and without being noticed. A happy old age carries us insensibly, as on a ship, away out of the current of life. We do not ourselves sense the motion, but feel as if the shores were moving and passing before us, until we reach unawares the Ocean of eternal sleep. . . . Just so ; and the “ Ocean” is preferable to the “ Sea of Being” or Life. Life is certainly, and at its best, “ but a walking shadow ” ; and short as it may be, each mortal will find, one day, that he has lived too long. With most of us ...............................................

" I t is a ta le

T o ld b y a n id io t , fu ll o f s o u n d a n d fu r y . S i g n i f y i n g n o t h i n g ......................................”

With everyone, without exception, life is as full of pains and sorrows as a bramble-bush of thorns. An undesirable thing, at best. “ But this is Buddhist pessimism ! ” we hear the reader say. Not at all. No more Buddhist than Christian ; and quite as Biblical as Buddhist. For, see for yourself. Does not Jacob complain to Pharaoh of the sorrows of life, when asked his age ? “ And Jacob said . . . the days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years ; few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” And Joshua, the son of Sirah describes life from the beginning to its end as one uninterrupted wave of sorrow! In his view, wherever we look we find but cares, fear, dangers, broken hopes and then—death. Do not the long-suffering Job, and the much-married King Solomon, depict life under the same colours? Life is a series of hard trials for the “ Soul” ; a new initiation of the Ego into a new mystery, every time I t incarnates. Believe me, reader; the luckiest ticket man can draw in that never ceasing, dark Lottery called human life, is, an—empty ticket. Since happiness is but a dream on earth, let us be resigned, at least. To do this, we have but to follow the precepts of our respective great and noble Masters on earth. The East had her Sakyamuni Buddha," the Light of A sia” ; the West her Teacher, and the Sermon on the Mount; both uttered the same great, because universal and immortal, truths. Listen to them :— “ Crush out your pride,” saith the One. “ Speak evil of no one, but be thankful to him who blames thee, for he renders thee service by showing thee thy faults. Kill thine arrogance. Be kind and gentle to all; merciful to every living creature. Forgive those who harm thee, help those who need thy help, resist not thine enemies. Destroy thy passions, for they are the armies of Mara (Death), and scatter them as the elephant scatters a bamboo hut. Lust not, desire nothing; all the objects thou pinest for, the world over, could no more satisfy thy lust, than all the sea-water could quench thy thirst. That which alone satisfies man is Wisdom—be wise. Be ye without hatred, without selfishness, and without hypocrisy. Be tolerant with the intolerant, charitable and compassionate with the hard-hearted, gentle with the violent, detached from everything amidst those who are attached to all, in this world of illusion. Harm no mortal creature. Do that which thou wouldest like to see done by all others.” “ Be humble,” saith the Other. Resist not evil, “ judge not that

ye be not judged.” Be merciful, forgive them who wrong thee, love thine enemies. Lust not; not even in the secresy of thy heart. Give to him that asketh thee. Be wise and perfect. Do not as the hypocrites do ; “ but, as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Noble words these. Only how far are they practicable, in the Nineteenth Century of the Christian era, and the tail-end of the Brahmanical cycle ? Alas ! While a Protestant Bishop was opposing these precepts, consequently his Master, here in England, by showing the impossibility of any civilised State carrying them out in practice— (civilisation first, and Christianity afterwards ?)—a French journalist of note was doing the same across the Channel. Reviewing the Buddhist Lectures of Professor Leon de Rosny, of Paris, M. Anatole France makes his readers feel that it is a Forlorn Hope, indeed, to think that the present generations of Europe will ever attempt to carry out the noble commandments of either Christ or Buddha ; and hence that true Theosophy is doomed to be, for the present, a failure in its practical realization. “ Ah me ! ” he writes, “ I f He did live, as I firmly believe He did, Sakyamuni was the most perfect of men. 1He was a Saint J ’— as Marco Polo exclaimed, after hearing his history. Yea, he was a Saint and a Sage. But this kind of Wisdom is not suited for the ever active European races, for the human families that are so strongly possessed by life. The Sovereign panacea discovered by Buddha as a remedy against the Universal evil, will never do for our temperaments. It demands renunciation, and what we want is to acquire; it teaches us to desire nothing, and lust and desire are stronger in us than hfe. As a final reward, we are promised Nirvana, or absolute Rest, when the thought alone of such a rest creates a feeling of horror in us. No; Sakya Muni Buddha has not come for us, nor can he save us — whatever M. de Rosny may do or say ! ”

No; He cannot. But no more can Christ, as it seems. Buddha was not alone in offering the remedy of “ personal indifference” to the allurements of this world, or care for the self of matter, as a panacea against the world’s evils, its sins and temptations. The “ Kingdom of God ” of Jesus, is but another name for “ Nirvana.” His injunctions to take no thought for the morrow, nor as to what we shall eat, drink, or clothe our body with, but to live, as “ the fowls of the air and the lilies of the field ” are but another version of the teachings of Buddha ( Vide Matth. vi. 24-34 and vii. et seq.). Both the Masters tried to impress their followers with the idea that “ Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof ” ; but so far, the Buddhist laymen alone, have tried to follow the injunction, while the Buddhist clergy have done so literally, and do so to this day.

Many and great are the reforms enacted in this age; and yet, as year rolls after year, each bringing some new light, each speeding the wheel of progress and civilisation, no new reform seems to affect or alter the old man. It is a F

orlorn

ope

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indeed! Let us then say good bye to the Old Year and reproach him no longer. Let us neither curse nor bless him ; but saying â&#x20AC;&#x153; Sufficient unto the year 1890, is the evil thereof,â&#x20AC;? let Karma dispose and take care of the coming 1891. ---------- ----------------

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, S we live through Soul, it must be said that by the Virtue of this we live well; just as because we see through the eyes, we see well through the virtue of these. It must not be thought that gold can be injured by rust, or virtue by baseness. We should betake ourselves to virtue as to an inviolable temple, in order that we may not be exposed to any ignoble insolence of soul with respect to our communion with, and continuance in, life. We should confide in Virtue as in a chaste wife : but trust to Fortune as to an inconstant mistress. It is better that virtue should be received accompanied with poverty, than wealth with violence; and frugality with health, than voracity with disease. An abundance of nutriment is noxious to the body; but the body is preserved when the soul is disposed in a becoming manner. It is equally dangerous to give a sword to a madman and power to a depraved man. As it is better for a part of the body which contains purulent matter to be burnt than to continue in the state in which it is, thus also it is better for a depraved man to die than to live. We shall venerate Divinity in a proper manner if we render the intellect that is in us pure from all vice as from a certain stain. A temple indeed should be adorned with gifts, but the soul with discipline. As the lesser mysteries are to be delivered before the greater, thus also discipline must precede philosophy. The fruits of the earth indeed are annually imparted, but the fruits of philosophy at every part of the year. As land is especially to be attended to by him who wishes to obtain from it the most excellent fruits, thus also the greatest attention should be paid to the soul in order that it may produce fruit worthy of its nature.

Wht

{Hjmopljiral ^omtg an& H.fl.lB.

[ T h e f o llo w in g a r tic le e x p r e s s e s t h e v ie w s o f m a n y m e m b e r s o f th e T h e o s o p h ic a l S o c ie t y , w h o f e e l s t r o n g ly ,t h a t it is t im e t h a t s o m e p r o t e s t s h o u ld b e m a d e a g a in s t t h e c o n s ta n t p e t t y c r itic is m s le v e lle d a t H .P .B .

A s c o - e d it o r , I p u t in t h e

a r t ic le , w h ic h

h a s n o t b e e n s u b m it t e d t o H .P .B ., n o r w ill s h e s e e it u n til t h e m a g a z in e is is s u e d ; s o s h e is in n o s e n s e r e s p o n s ib le f o r it s a p p e a r a n c e .— A

n n ie

B e s a n t .]

N the 17th day of last month, the Theosophical Society completed the first fifteen years of its existence, and can look back over a youth tempestuous indeed, but marked by continuous growth. When first, in New York, the two “ Founders” of the infant Society enrolled their earliest members, a profound sadness must have lain at the heart of the one who realised all that was meant by that primary step. “ The last quarter of the century ! ” Not for the first time had that cry been sounded in the Western World, but all the previous attempts had but stirred the waters and had—failed. Was this nineteenth century effort to pass into Hades with its predecessors, bearing only the wreckage of shattered hopes, of broken forces ? Was this dawn to darken into night instead of morning, and leave the twentieth century to grope in darkness with none to guide ? Or were there, scattered through the West, enough of the students of the past to awake at the summons from the Orient, students in whose hearts the occult fire was smouldering, waiting but the “ breath ” to make it burst forth in flame ? Only when the knell of the century has sounded will the answer to such questionings be fully heard : still is the lot hidden, save from the eyes that pierce beyond the veil. It “ lies on the knees of Osiris,” and it will fall thence into the lap of failure or of triumph, as they keep faith or break it, who form the working brotherhood of the Theo sophical Society. The seed planted in America has grown there to a tree with widely spreading branches.* In India, the Society quickly made its way, and thanks to the energy, the eloquence, and the devotion of Colonel H. S. Olcott, the co-founder and President, branches sprang up in every direc tion, the ancient literature was enthusiastically studied, schools were founded where knowledge untainted by Christianity could be gathered by the young, and India, waking from the sleep of centuries, felt herself to be once more a nation, a nation with a mighty past, and with the possibility

* A n e a r ly d raft o f th e co n stitu tio n o f th e T . S. lie s b efore m e, and sh e w s th at, in its in ce p tio n , m em b ersh ip o f th e T . S . in vo lved m u ch h e a v ie r o b liga tio n s th an a re now requ ired from a ccep ted ca n d id ates. T h e fe llo w sh ip h ad th ree section s and e ach section h ad th ree d eg rees. F o r th e h igh est, th e con d itio n s w ere sev ere, and cou ld o n ly be tak en b y those re a d y to d ev o te th e ir w h o le liv e s to occu ltism .

o f a glo riou s fu tu re.

W h ile all th is rush o f new life th rilled along th e veins

o f H in d u sta n , the heart o f th at life th rob bed ste ad ily on, th e fount o f the c irc u la tin g en ergy, though th e lim bs and th e o rga n isin g brain w ere more prom inent in the e y es o f th e w orld.

T h a t heart w a s H .P .B .

Indifferent

to the ex ercise o f a u th o rity , careless o f ex tern al show — even to the shocking o f those tig h t-fettered b y social con ven tion s— w illin g to efface h erse lf if th ereb y her m ission m ight th e b etter prosper, there she w a s, the source o f the o ccu lt forces w h ich alone cou ld su stain

the T h eo so p h ica l S o ciety .

R e a d y to prove the re a lity o f those as y e t little know n p o w ers o f N atu re , the effects o f w hich are as m arvello u s to th e cu ltu red E u rop ean as are electrica l ph enom ena to the C en tra l A frica n , sh e perform ed experim ent after exp erim en t for the in stru ction o f those w ho p erso n ally sought her. B u t she ste ad ily refused lo vu lg arise her m ission b y a n y k in d o f general “ perform ance o f ph en o m en a,” w h ich could o n ly g ra tify cu rio sity and serve no useful purpose.

W h e n urged to “ show her pow ers ” m erely to co n

vin ce the gen eral crow d , w h o cared n othin g for T h eo so p h ica l te a ch in g but on ly desired to g r a tify th eir idle love o f the m a rv e llo u s : w hen told that th u s she m ight w in cred en ce and estab lish her a u th o rity , she m erely sh rugged her shoulders, and, w ith th e ind ifferen ce o f the train ed occu ltist, an sw ered th a t th ey m ight b elieve or not as th e y c h o s e ; let them sa y she w a s “ a f r a u d ; ” w h at did it m atter ?

F o r the real student she h ad an

in ex h au stib le p atien ce, w illin gn ess to p ro ve, readin ess to e x p la in : for the id le cu rio sity-h u n ter a ca reless “ O h , it’s n o th in g ! p sych o lo g ica l trick s, m a ya , w h at you p le a se .” W ith m a n y o f the B ra h m in s she cam e into d irect collision. teach

the

w orld

S en t to

at larg e m an y o f the d octrin es w h ich h a d been

je a lo u sly p reserved as th e treasu re o f a p rivileg ed m inority, she stru ck them on their tend erest point, th eir prid e in the possession o f k n ow led g e hidden from the v u lg a r crow d , their sen sitive je a lo u sy lest th eir holiest should be profaned.

K n o w in g th a t she w a s sp ea k in g truth, th e y often

con trad icted h er in p u b lic, w h ile in p riv a te th e y h o tly protested a ga in st th e d esecration o f their sa n ctu a ries.

P h y s ic a lly a su b ject race, con q u ered b y

the m aterial force o f th e a g g ressive W e s t, th e y retired the m ore in to th e stron ghold s o f their in tellectu al prid e, look in g w ith u n u tterab le con tem p t on the foreigner w ho cou ld subdue their bodies, but w h o, in h is ign o ran ce o f the secrets o f N atu re , w a s bu t a b arb arian in th e ir h a u g h ty ey es.

That

he should rule in In d ia w a s w ell, since In d ia had forsaken h er a n cestra l w isdom and w a s u n w orth y to b e f r e e : bu t th a t he should c a tch a g lim p se o f th at m ental and sp iritu al realm o f w h ich th ey w ere c itiz e n s— n a y , such intrusion should b e resisted to the last, and the v e ry e x iste n ce o f su ch a realm should b e k ep t secret, lest he should find a g a te th at m igh t let h im in.

T h a t th is R u ssian teach er h a d her k n ow led ge from the sa g e s th e y

reveren ced , th e y w ere u n able to d en y : b u t th e y resisted her p u b lica tio n o f th e te ach in g s as their an cestors had resisted the te ach in g s o f G a u ta m a ,

the B u d d h a.

N o t for the “ com m on p e o p le ” w ere even th e cru m b s o f

the “ D iv in e W is d o m .” N ev erth eless, d esp ite all, her in flu en ce ste a d ily g rew , and the T h e o sop h ical S o c ie ty stru ck its roots far and w ide.

T h e n cam e the b itte r and

un scrupulous a tta ck o f the C h ristia n m ission aries in the fam ous C ou lom b forgeries, forgeries som e o f them so tran sp aren t th at th ey cou ld not h a ve d eceived an in telligen t ch ild , oth ers in g en iou sly co n co cted o f the h a lf tru th s th a t “ are e v e r the b la ck e st o f lie s.” A n d here, I ven tu re to sa y , a m istak e w a s m ade, a m istak e in ta c tics as w ell a s a failu re in lo y a lty .

A n exam in ation held p rom p tly and on the

spot proved the falsehood o f th e calu m n io u s a ccu sation s, and ex p osed the nefarious artifices b y w h ich ev id en ces had been fa b rica te d . good.

S o far, so

B u t then, in stead o f c lo sin g up round th e assa iled T e a c h e r and

d efending to the utm ost her position and her honour, the fa ta l p o licy w as adopted o f a ttem p tin g to m inim ise her position in th e S o c ie ty , o f a rgu in g th at the te a c h in g rem ained im p reg n ab le w h eth er the teach er w a s or w a s not tru stw o rth y . thought w ise

It w a s a p o lic y o f e x p ed ien cy , not o f p rin cip le, it b eing

to ign ore a tta c k s rath er th an to refu te them , and to lay

stress on the inherent stren gth o f th e p h ilosop h y rath er th an to co n tin u a lly vin d ica te

its

exp on en t.

S u fferin g

from

a cu te

d isease,

and

a lw a y s

too d oubtful o f her ow n ju d g m en t in m ere ex o teric m atters, in question s o f p o licy and e x p ed ien cy , to tru st to it

a ga in st

th e a d v ice o f

m en

o f the w orld, H .P .B . a llo w ed h erself to be put asid e, w h ile the S o c ie ty w a s ex a lted a t the exp en se o f its F o u n d er, and left it to g o its ow n w a y in H in d u sta n .

W h e n su fficien tly recovered from alm ost fa ta l illn ess, she

recom m enced her w ork, bu t in E u ro p e not in In d ia, con fin in g her a c tiv ity to the W e s te rn W o rld . T h e effects o f her presence q u ick ly b ecam e m anifest.

W h e re w a s the

o ccu lt h eart, there w a s cen tred th e life o f the S o c ie ty , and in the W e s t, on e v ery side, ap p eared sign s o f n ew v ita lity .

H o w the T h eo so p h ica l m o v e

m ent w a s sp read throu gh W estern lan d s it n eed s not here to relate.

The

“ T h eo so p h ica l A c tiv itie s ” in e v e ry n u m ber o f L u c ife r te ll th e tale so th a t h e w h o runs m a y read. T h is presen ce,

rap id

grow th

has been

due p rim arily to H .P .B .’ s personal

secon d arily to th e form ation o f the E so te ric S ectio n o f the

T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty .

In to th is, those on ly are

a d m itted

w ho

a ccep t

H .P .B . as their teach er in O c cu ltism , recogn isin g her as the m essenger o f th at B rotherhood w ho are the real F o u n d ers o f the T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty . T h is S ectio n em b ra ces m ost o f the m ost a c tiv e w orkers in the S o c ie ty , and as th ey base their a c tiv ity on their p h ilosop h y little of it is w a sted in runn ing after false scen ts.

T h e re is a certain frin ge o f people w ho com e

an d go , w h o en ter from cu rio sity and are d isgu sted w hen th ey find only h ard w o r k ; w h o see k for “ po w ers ” and are a n g ry w hen th e y find only p e lf-d e n ia l; w ho en ter th in k in g O ccu ltism an ea sy and e x c itin g stu d y , and

b re ak under the tension to w h ich th e y find th em selves su b jected .

But

the cen tre o f the Section is ste ad ily solid ifyin g, and it en circles H .P .B . w ith ev erg ro w in g tru st— founded on len gth en in g ex p erie n ce— w ith everin crea sin g love, gra titu d e and lo y a lty . N o w tou ch in g the position of H .P .B . to and in the T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty , th e follow in g is a b rief exp osition o f it, as it ap p ears to m an y o f u s : (1) E it h e r she is a messenger fr o m the M asters, or else she is a fr a u d . F ro m th is d ilem m a there is no esca p e .

I f she does not com e from

T h e m , b rin gin g th eir m essage, d oin g th eir w ork, ex e c u tin g their com m is sion, her w hole life is a lie.

F ro m b egin n in g to end, she h as claim ed

n oth in g as h er ow n, e v e ry th in g as from T h e m .

T h o s e w ho are in d a ily

co n ta ct w ith her, know h ow she co n tin u a lly refers to th eir d ecision , sp eaks in their nam e.

N o th ird cou rse is open to us : there are on ly th ese a lter

n ativ es, the m ission is eith er real or fraudulent. (2) I n either case the Theosophical Society would have had no existence w ithout her.

T h e fo lly o f try in g to sep a ra te th e T h e o so p h ica l S o c ie ty and H .P .B . lies in th is fa ct.

W ith o u t H .P .B .

no T h eo so p h ica l S o ciety .

A ll

the

W e ste rn s w h o k n ow a n y th in g of T h eo so p h y h a ve learn ed from her or from her p u p ils.

C o l. O lc o tt, as he a lw a y s recogn ises, ob tain ed throu gh her

his in troduction to the w ork.

S a v e for her, he w ou ld be a w ell-kn ow n

A m erican S p iritu a list, not th e P resid en t o f the T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty . w ith M r. S in n ett, so w ith M r. Ju d ge, so w ith each and all.

M any have

ob tain ed indepen den t ev id en ce a fterw ard s, but for all she h as been th e p o rta l th rough w h ich th e y h a v e passed into th e o ccu lt w orld .

N o r is the

fa ct th a t th e ex isten ce o f the T h e o so p h ica l S o c ie ty is due to her th e on ly p ro o f o f th e h op elessn ess o f th e a ttem p t to rend the tw ain a p a rt. as it ow ed to her its in cep tion , so now it ow es to her its v ita lity .

F o r ju st W h e re

she is, th ere, evid en t to all eyes, is th e cen tre o f e n e r g y : and w here she is not p h y sic a lly , th ere th e p rogress is in proportion to the lo y a lty shew n to w a rd s her.

U n fa ir criticism o f her, u ngenerous carp in g at her, sla ck n ess

in d efend ing her a ga in st a tta ck from ou tside, w h erever these are found th ere a lso q u ic k ly follow stagn ation , d eca y , d eath . (3) I f she is a fr a u d , she is a woman o f w onderful ab ility and learning, g iv in g a ll the credit o f these to some persons who do not ex ist.

A s to the a b ility and learn in g, these are not ch allen ged b y her enem ies. T h e y som etim es sa y th a t her k n ow led g e is ill-d igested , th at she a rran ge s her m a terials b a d ly , th a t she is m isty, in v o lved , self-co n tra d icto ry .

But

th a t she possesses an ex tra o rd in a ry fund o f va ried inform ation, b ea rin g on out-of-the w a y top ics, and ob scu re ph ilosophies, is a d m itted on e v e r y h a n d . I f she b e a frau d , w h y is she such a fool as to in ven t im a g in a ry T e a c h e r s , fa th erin g on them her k n o w led g e, and so ga in in g from e v e ry side abu se a n d sla n d er, w h ile sh e m ight h a ve gain ed cred it, to sa y n o th in g o f m on ey, b y th e sim ple and n atu ral co u rse o f g iv in g out her ow n as h er-o w n ?

Can

a n y th in g

m ore insan e be im agined than for a R u ssian w om an o f noble

fa m ily , m arried to a high official, to go out into the w orld on a w ild -goose ch ase after im ag in a ry T e a c h e r s, and h a v in g acq u ired a m ass o f recond ite k n ow led ge at g rea t cost and suffering, to th ro w a w a y all the cre d it of acq u irin g it, to a scrib e it to n on-existent persons, to fa ce slander, abu se, calu m n y, in stead o f u tilisin g it in a m ore com m on w a y , to rem ain an exile from her ow n co u n try, to be po or and d esp ised w h ere she m igh t b e w ea lth y and honoured ?

I f anyon e can prod u ce, ou tside B e d la m , a lu n a tic m ore

m ad th an H .P .B . m ust be if she be a frau d , I should be gra tefu l for the honour o f an in trod u ction . (4) I f H . P . B . is a true messenger, opposition to her is opposition to the M asters, she being their only channel to the W estern W o rld .

T h is proposition sc a rc e ly n eed s argu m en t to su stain i t : it is selfev id en t ; she alone is in d irect and co n stan t com m u n ication w ith the tra n s-H im a la y a n

A d e p ts.

m an age th eir ow n b u siness.

T h e y ch ose

her, and p resu m a b ly th e y can

O n ce a cc e p t the ph ilosop h y, you m ust a cc e p t

h e r ; a ccep t her and you can n o t stop short o f the full prop osition as stated ab ove.

A n d here let m e m ake a su ggestion to th o se w ho ra sh ly and

su p erficia lly ju d g e H . P . B ., and com plain th a t she is h a sty , th at she “ shuts up ” en q u irers, th a t she rep els w o u ld -b e d iscip les. va ries w ith the people w h o com e to her.

H. P. B.

T o the person w ho v e ils m ere

c u rio sity under po lite form s and false co u rtesy , she w ill be a b ru p t, sh arp , rep ellen t.

T h e hostile feelin g m asked under sm iles, finds itse lf pierced b y

a keen sarcasm , or k n o ck in g itse lf a ga in st a w a ll o f ice.

B u t to the honest

enquirer she is p a tien t and gen tle to a rare ex te n t, an d on ly her p u p ils know o f a p atien ce th a t h as no lim its, a stren gth th a t n ever falters, an in sig h t th a t n ever errs.

In fa ct, H . P . B . h erse lf is the test o f the

m em bers, and w hen th ey begin to gru m b le a t her, th e y w ou ld do w ise ly to a n a ly se th em selves.

I som etim es th in k o f a te st d ropped into a solution,

p r e c ip ita tin g som e su b stan ce th erein con tain ed .

“ W h a t a horrid liqu id

it m ust be so to d irty th a t b ea u tifu lly c le a r flu id ,” c ry th e ign o ran t.

the su b sta n ce had not been presen t, it w ou ld not h a ve been p recip ita te d b y the te st, and if en qu irers and m em bers are hon est, th e y w ill find th e m selve s a ttra c te d , not rep elled , b y H . P . B . (5) I f there are no M a sters, the Theosophical S ociety is an absurdity, and there is no use in keeping it up.

B u t i f there are M a sters, and H . P . B . is their messenger,

and the T heosophical Society their fou nd ation , the Theosophical Society and H . P . B . cannot be separated before the w orld.

T h is is the con clu sion o f the w h ole m ust gu id e our p o licy .

m a tter, th e d ecision on

w h ich

I see on som e sid es a d ispo sition to tem porise, to

w h ittle a w a y th e E so te ric T e a c h in g s, to h a s tily tw ist them into a cco rd w ith te m p o rary h yp o th eses o f S cie n c e, in order to g a in a m om en tary a d v a n ta g e , p e rch a n ce a fuller h earin g.

T h is is not w ise.

A lre a d y som e

Such h yp o th eses, opposed to o c c u lt te a ch in g s, h a v e been throw n aside b y

m ore a d va n ced

scien tific th o u gh t, and

h a ve been

rep laced

h y p o th eses, m ore n ea rly a p p ro a c h in g th e o ccu lt vie w s.

b y other

T h e r e is no need

to h u rry, nor to tr y to pour th e a rc h a ic d octrin es into n ew b o ttles, ere those b o ttles h a v e been tested .

T h e S ecre t T e a c h in g s h a v e stood m any

thousan d s o f y ea rs, and h a ve been the sou rce from w h ich th e stream of p rogress h as flow ed .

T h e y can ven tu re to stan d on their ow n b asis for a

few y e a rs m ore, till S cie n ce crosses the d iv id in g line it is te n ta tiv ely a p p ro a ch in g w ith each n ew d isco ve ry . T o the m em bers o f the T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty , I ventu re to sa y a word o f p lead in g.

B u t a few y e a rs stretch before us ere th e cen tu ry exp ires, a

cen tu ry w h ose close coin cid es w ell-n igh w ith the close o f a c y c le .

A s the

sand s o f th o se yea rs are ru nn ing through the h ou r-glass o f T im e, our op p o rtu n ities are ru nn ing w ith them ; it is “ a race again st tim e,” in a v e r y rea l sense. I f the m em bers care at all for th e fu tu re of the S o c ie ty , if th e y w ish to k n ow th at th e T w e n tie th C en tu ry w ill see it sta n d in g high ab ove th e strife o f parties, a b ea co n -ligh t in the d ark n ess for th e gu id in g o f m en, i f they b elieve in th e T e a c h e r w ho foun ded it for hum an service, let them now arouse th e m selve s from slothful indifferen ce, ste rn ly silen ce all dissensions o v er p e tty follies in th eir ran ks, and m arch shoulder to shoulder for the a ch ievem en t o f th e h e a v y task laid upon their stren gth and co u ra g e.

T h eo so p h y is w orth a n y th in g, it is w orth liv in g for and w o rth d y in g for.

it is w orth n othin g, let it g o at on ce and for all. w ith , it is not a th in g to trifle w ith .

It is not a th in g to play

E r e 1891 sees its earliest d aw n ing,

ere 1890 fa lls into the g ra v e now a -d ig g in g for it, let ea ch T h eo so p h ist, and a b o v e a ll let each O c cu ltist, c a lm ly revie w his position , carefu lly m ake his ch oice, and if th a t ch o ice be for T h e o so p h y , let him stern ly determ ine that n either open foes nor treach ero u s friend s shall sh a k e h is lo y a lty for all time to com e to his g rea t C au se and L e a d e r , w hich tw ain are one. Annie

Besant,

F .T .S .

“ W H E R E ?” I stood w h ere rob6d priest did ch an t, In m ournful notes, a solem n p r a y e r ; W h e re sw e ll’d m a je stic organ-tones, A n d frag ra n t incen se fill’d th e a i r ; W h e re a ll resplenden t ^altars shone In lig h t than e a rth ly lig h t m ore fa ir : I lo w ly b o w ’d and tried to p r a y : M y soul refu s’d its d u t y : “ W here, — W here sh a ll I seek my G od ? ” I cried : A n an gel an sw er'd m y d esp air : “ E r e c t a temple in thy heart, A n d worship th y Creator there ”

R eavel

Savage,

L L .B ., F.T.S.

“ Wtt

(BntpBnrr s _

c&±

Clotbea/'

T is th e fashion o f th e d a y to seek in m y th s, legen d s, and fa iry stories som e fu n dam en tal and u n d erlyin g tru th , w h ich m a y serve to rescue

them from

the c h a rg e

m ere triv ia l a b su rd ity , and p la ce them

the h igh er lev el o f in stru c tiv e a lle g o ry .

W e are all m uch in d ebted to M r.

A n d re w L a n g , and oth er w o rkers on th ose lines, for w h a t th eir resea rch es h a v e a lre a d y don e in th is d irectio n , and for th e flood o f lig h t w h ich h as re c e n tly been shed on m an y o f th ose household ta les and legen d s, w h ich our infan t m inds received so rea d ily , and h a v e retain ed so fa ith fu lly. A n d far d eeper still is our sen se o f g ra titu d e to those w h o, for purp o ses o f real in stru ction , h a v e sou gh t to unfold th e m ean in g o f m uch th at w a s o b scu re and b e w ild e rin g in E a ste rn S y m b o lism , and th e re b y to open our u n d erstan d in gs to th e recep tio n o f u n su sp ected t r u t h ; e v e ry d a y , ind eed , it b ecom es m ore and m ore a p p a ren t h o w potent an instrum ent a lle g o ry h as a lw a y s b een in the w o rld ’s h isto ry for the purpose o f at on ce co n cea lin g and c o n v e y in g lessons o f a profou nd n atu ra l and sp iritu a l sig n ifica n ce. N o w in the in stan ce to w h ich I am a b ou t to a llu d e, I am q u ite a w are th a t som e w ill be o f opinion th a t I am stra in in g a point, and im p u tin g m otives to m y au thor w h ich he w a s qu ite inn ocen t o f en tertain in g.

But

the ch arg e

help

fan cifu l

in terp reta tio n

n o tw ith stan d in g ,

can n o t

th in k in g th a t th e o rigin ato r o f the sto ry en titled “ T h e E m p e ro r’s n ew c lo th e s,” w h o e ver he m a y h a v e b een— for I h a rd ly k n ow w h eth er H a n s A n d ersen is to b e regard ed as th e a u th or or th e co lla b o rate u r m erely— had som e m oral to c o n v e y for those w ho cou ld read b etw een th e lin e s : or, at lea st, th a t th e sto ry its e lf w a s su g gested to his m ind b y th e ev id en ce o f w h a t he sa w around him .

W h a te v e r m a y h a v e been its h isto ry b efore it

cam e to us in its present form , I k n ow n o t ; nor is it a m a tter o f m uch m om ent.

W h a t is o f con cern is th a t w e should learn to d ed u ce and

a p p recia te th e argu m en t it em bod ies.

S a tiric a l, n a y , alm ost c y n ica l, as

it a p p e a rs w h en vie w ed in th e lig h t o f an a lle g o ry , no one, I th in k, can fail to see h o w v e ry tru e it is to n atu re. T h e sto ry runs as follow s :

M a n y y e a rs ago th ere lived an E m p eror

w ho cared so en orm ously for n ew clo th es th at he spent a ll his m on ey upon them .

In th e g rea t c ity in w h ich he lived it w a s a lw a y s v e ry m erry ; ev ery

d a y a n u m ber of stran g ers arrived there.

O n e d a y tw o ch ea ts cam e : th ey

g a v e th e m selv e s out as w ea ve rs, and d eclared th e y could w e a v e th e finest stu ff a n yon e cou ld im agine.

N o t on ly w ere th e ir p attern s, th e y said ,

u n com m o n ly b ea u tifu l, b u t th e clo th es m ad e o f th e stu ff p o ssessed the

w o n d erfu l'q u a lity th a t th e y b ecam e in v isib le to a n y b o d y w h o w a s unfit for th e office h e held , or w a s in c o rrig ib ly stu p id . “ T h o se w ou ld be c a p ita l clo th es ! ” th o u gh t th e E m p e ro r........................ and h e g a v e the tw o c h e a ts a g rea t deal o f cash in hand, th a t th e y m ight begin th eir w ork a t once. A s for them th e y put up tw o loom s, and pretend ed to b e w o rk in g ; but th e y h ad n oth in g a t all on th e ir loom s....................... “ I should lik e to know h o w far th e y h a v e g o t on w ith th e w o rk ,’ ’ th o u gh t th e E m p e r o r : w e a v e rs .”

“ I w ill send m y honest old

M in ister to the

. . . .

N o w th e good old M in ister w en t in to th e hall w here the tw o ch eats sat w o rk in g a t th e em p ty loom s. “ M ercy p rese rv e u s ! ” th o u gh t th e old M in ister. a n y th in g a t a ll.”

“ I can n o t see

B u t he d id not say th is .......................

“ D o yo u sa y n oth in g to it ? ” said one o f the w eavers. “ O h it is ch a rm in g — qu ite e n c h a n tin g ! ” an sw ered the old M in ister, a s he peered th rou gh his sp e c ta c le s.

“ Y e s , I sh all tell th e E m p e ro r that

I am v e ry m uch pleased w ith it.” “ W e are g la d o f th a t,” said both th e w ea ve rs, and then th e y nam ed th e colours, and ex p la in ed the stran g e p a ttern .

T h e old M in ister listen ed

a tte n tiv e ly , th a t he m igh t be a b le to rep eat it w hen th e E m p ero r cam e .

T h e E m p ero r soon sent a ga in , d esp a tch in g an oth er honest statesm an to see h ow th e w e a v in g w a s go in g on.

H e fared ju s t lik e the first.

“ I am not stu p id ! ” th o u gh t th e m an,— it m ust b e m y go od office for w h ich I am not fit.

It is fun ny thou gh, but I m ust not U t i t be noticed.”

he p raised th e stu ff w h ich he did not see. A ll th e people in the tow n w ere ta lk in g o f th e go rgeou s stu ff E m p ero r w ish ed to see it h im self w h ile it w a s still upon the loom . “ W h a t’s th is ? ” th o u g h t th e E m p ero r. .

“ O h, it is v e ry p r e tty ,”

The .

“ I can see n oth in g at a l l ! ”

he sa id a lo u d ....................... A ll the

C o u rtiers looked and looked , and saw n o th in g ; b u t, lik e th e E m p ero r, th ey said “ T h a t is p re tty ,” and cou nselled him to w ea r those n ew clo th es for the first tim e at th e g rea t procession th a t w a s p rese n tly to ta k e p lace. * * * * S o the E m p ero r w en t in th e procession, and ev eryo n e said “ H o w in com p arab le a re th e E m p e ro r’s new clo th es .”

. . . .

“ B u t he h a s n oth in g on ” a little c h ild cried.

“ B u t he h a s n o th in g

on ” said th e w h ole people a t le n g th ........................T h e E m p ero r th o u g h t w ith in him self,

“ I m ust go th rough w ith

th e p ro cessio n .”

A n d th e

ch am b erlain held on tig h te r th an ev er, and ca rrie d th e train w h ich did n o t ex ist a t all. A n d n ever, p erhaps, w a s th e truth o f th is sa tire m ore ev id en t th a n n ow .

In th ese d a y s o f con flictin g dou bts and fa lse secu rities, o f e m p ty

form s and va in p reten ces, o f p seu d o-sen sation alism and barren a g n o stic is m ,

w hen m en, w h o h a v e lon g lost a ll fa ith in th e efficacy o f the te a ch in g s of the C h u rc h , or o f d o g m atic C h ristia n ity g e n e ra lly , and k n o w th a t su ch is the case w ith them , still call th em selves m em b ers o f a com m u n ity w ith w hom th ey can h a v e no sort o f sy m p a th y , and still continu e to w orship— o u tw a rd ly , a t lea st— a personal and an th rop om orph ic G o d , w h ose v e ry ex iste n ce th e y regard as e x c e e d in g ly p ro b lem a tica l, w e find in our sto ry a v e ry fa ith fu l represen tation o f su ch , in th e m en tal a ttitu d e o f those w h o m ade preten ce to b elieve in th at w h ich had no ex iste n ce.

S u re ly th is is

a course o f actio n at on ce undignified and harm ful, n au g h t but a poor kind o f fetish -w o rsh ip w ith o u t the sin ce rity a tta c h in g to su ch , and rig h tly d e se rv in g the ca u stic d en u n ciatio n s o f a C a r ly le . B u t b e sid e s th ese, there is another cla ss o f persons w h o, w h ile d im ly con sciou s th a t the p o pu lar religio u s sy ste m s o f the d a y do not confer any true k n o w led g e o f m an, or a t a ll a c c u ra te ly define the relation in w h ich he stan d s, eith er to h is en viron m ent or to th e tran scen d en tal w orld o f w h ich h e is a su b ject, are y e t a fra id o f q u estion ing their a u th o rity , or o f see k in g to a rrive a t a n y solution o f su ch problem s, h o w ever p artial, o u tsid e the p ale o f th a t w h ich th e y h a v e been ta u g h t to recogn ize as reve aled

d octrin e.

S u ch

q u estion in gs

a re

stifled ,

regard ed

p re

sum p tu ou s or u n la w fu l, and fin a lly releg ate d to the lim bo o f u n attain ab le k n o w le d g e w h ich it w ou ld b e hop eless and d a n gero u s to pursue.

T hey

w ou ld h a v e u s b elieve th a t th e y are con ten t to rem ain as th e y are, “ finished and finite clod s, un troubled b y a s p a r k ” ; and from con stan t su p pression o f a ll desire o f p rogressive k n o w led g e, and p ersisten t adhesion to som e stereotyp ed form o f b e lie f th at their reason tells them is insufficient to sa tisfy th eir dem ands, end b y b ecom in g so indeed. a n d th ey h a v e found it.

T h e y sou gh t rest,

B u t it is th e rest o f sta gn a tio n .

F e a rfu l of

en terta in in g , and u n w illin g to e x ercise th eir reason in g fa cu ltie s in the ex a m in a tio n s o f those feelin gs o f d oubt and d issa tisfa ctio n , w h ich assail e v e ry one at som e tim e or a n o t h e r ; refu sin g even

to reco gn ise their

e x iste n ce, th e y h a v e throw n lo g ic to th e w ind s, and su cceed ed in a great m easu re in p ersu ad in g th em selves, and d elu d in g oth ers into the b elief, th at su c h fee lin gs n ever did exist, or i f th e y did th a t th e y h a v e lost their pow er. In the w ord s o f M a tth ew A rn o ld , “ th ey b elieve th at th ey b e lie v e ,” — and b e lie v in g so liv e on. th is a b o u t.

N o r is fear the o n ly a g e n c y w h ich w o rk s to b rin g

O th e r cau ses, no less po w erfu l, com bin e to effect a like result.

T h e y h a v e been a d m irab ly ep ito m ized b y the poet C o w p e r :— “ S o m e to th e fa s c in a tio n o f a n a m e S u r r e n d e r j u d g m e n t , h o o d w i n k ’d .

S o m e th e s ty le

I n f a t u a te s , a n d t h r o u g h la b y r in th s a n d w ild s O f e r r o r le a d th e m b y a t u n e e n tr a n c e d ; W h ile s lo t h s e d u c e s m o r e , t o o w e a k t o b e a r T h e in s u p p o r ta b le f a tig u e o f t h o u g h t , A n d s w a llo w in g th e r e fo r e w it h o u t p a u s e o r c h o ic e T h e t o t a l g r is t u n s if t e d , h u s k a n d a ll.”

W h a t else is th is th an w h a t P rofessor D ru m m on d w ou ld d en om inate “ p a rasitism .”

It is alm ost an axio m th a t m an can , b y dint o f perseverin g,

persu ad e h im self to b elieve alm ost a n y th in g ; and I m ake no doubt th a t if th e cou rtiers in the story had persisted in th eir en d eavou r to d isp u te the ev id en ce o f their senses th ey w ould, in

the end, h a v e su cceed ed b y a

p ro cess o f self-hypn otism in c re a tin g the d esired p h an ta sm ag o ria . I h a v e called th e sto ry a sa tire.

L e t an yon e look aroun d him , w ith

un p reju d iced ey es, and I thin k he w ill agree w ith m e.

W h a t sadder

sp e c ta c le can be co n ceiv ed than m en in sea rch o f th e tru th , an d see k in g to find it w h ere it is n ot.

M a n y g iv e up the search a lto geth er, and b o ld ly

ann oun ce th a t if it ex ists at all, it is o n ly in som e in a cce ssib le region, and th a t th erefore it is p u re fo lly to w a ste fu rth er effort in its T h is a t lea st is honest.

d is c o v e ry .

O th e rs, lik e our poor cou rtiers, preten d th at th e y

h a ve found it, or are in sigh t o f i t ; and th is pretension m ust b e k ep t u p at all h a zard s, d esp ite th e co n victio n in m a n y m inds th a t it is m erely som e w ill-o f-th e-w isp

th a t is d elu d in g th e ir

k n o w not w h ith e r. th eir d iscrim in a tiv e

senses, an d lea d in g them

A n d , stra n g est fa c t o f all, fa cu ltie s, oth ers

a ga in

th e y

b y refu sin g to e x e rc ise

have

h o n estly, and

q u ite

un con sciou sly, d eluded th em selves in to th e b e lie f th at for them th e sea rch is a t an end, since th e y h a v e found th a t w h ich th e y w ere see k in g. It is w ell-nigh h op eless

to do a n y th in g for these la tte r.

co n v ictio n lik e th is it is g e n e ra lly im p ossible to sh a k e.

R o o ted

B u t for th o se

oth ers w ho are begin n in g to su sp ect th a t th e cau se o f their fa ilu re to p e rc e iv e th e tru th arises from th e fact th at th e y a re a ll th e w h ile tu rn in g th eir b a c k s upon it and see k in g it w here it n ever w a s and n ever w ill be, w e w ou ld sa y , th a t th e h onest and persisten t seek er, if h e look s deep en ou gh into his ow n h ea rt, m ay find it th ere revealed .

H e m a y sen d a r a y o f

in tellig en ce into the depths^ o f his ow n soul, w h ich w ill illu m in ate its hidden

treasu re,

and

d isco ve r

th e

germ

con cealed

th erein , “ w h ich

a w ak en ed to con sciou sn ess w ill g ro w into a S u n th a t illu m in ates th e w h o le o f the in terior w orld w h erein e v e ry th in g is co n ta in ed .”

A n d tru th h a v in g

th u s a w ak en ed k n ow s th a t it alone is, and th a t all else is d elu sive. M. U . Moore, F .T .S .

------- ----------is tru ly the seed o f e v e r y v ic e and e v il k n o w n to th e h u m a n soul, and in itse lf an in v o catio n o f the h e a v y p e n a lty o f K a rm ic la w , irre sp e c tiv e o f th e fru its th a t sp rin g from it in a ctio n an d th a t h a v e th e ir ow n recom pense. S e lfis h n e s s

J. H . C o n n e l l y i n N e ila S e n . “ I p w e ta k e th e good w e find, w e sh all h a v e h e a p in g m easu re.”

m erso n .

- L apina. (T r a n sla te d and annotated by G . R . S . M . , w ith additional notes by H . P . B . ) ( C o n tin u ed .)

[ 1 4 8 ] A n d th e F ir s t M y s te ry a ga in con tin u ed in h is co n versa tio n an d sa id to h is D is c ip le s : “ I t c a m e to p a ss w h en I h a d b ro u g h t P i s t i s S o p h ia u p w a rd s in C h ao s, she cried ou t a g a in , s a y in g : 1 1 h a v e been p re se rv e d in C h a o s an d freed from th e bonds o f M ist.

I h a v e com e to

th ee, O L ig h t, for th o u w ert L ig h t on e v e r y sid e for m e, p re se rv in g and h elp in g me.

A n d th o u d id st p rev en t th e P ro je c tio n s o f th e S elf-w ille d

O n e, w h ich are fig h tin g a g a in st m e, b y th y L ig h t, and th e y w ere not a b le to a p p ro a ch m e, for th y L ig h t w a s w ith m e, and w a s p rese rv in g m e b y th y S trea m s o f L ig h t, for th e y op p ressed m e and to o k a w a y m y P o w e r from m e, and ca st m e into O rcu s ( p i .), (1) d ep riv ed o f m y L ig h t. lik e as h e a v y H y le before th em .

I w as

A n d a fte rw a rd s th e P o w e r o f the S trea m

c am e to m e from thee p re se rv in g m e.

It shone on m y left hand and on

m y rig h t, and surro u n d ed m e on e v e ry sid e, so th a t no p a rt w h ere I w as, w a s w ith o u t L ig h t, and th o u d id st c o v e r m e w ith th e L ig h t o f th y S trea m , a n d d id st p u r ify in m e a ll m y e v il H y le ( p i.), and I w a s above a ll m y H y le

(J> .) b ec a u se o f th y L ig h t and

th y S trea m o f L ig h t.

T h is it w a s w h ich

ex a lte d m e, and took m e from th e P ro je c tio n s o f th e S elf-w ille d O n e, w h ich w ere co m p ressin g m e.

[1 4 9 ] A n d I tru ste d in th y L ig h t, an d also in th e

pure L ig h t o f th y S t r e a m ; and th e P ro je c tio n s o f th e S elf-w ille d O n e, w h ic h w ere o p p re ssin g m e, w ere rem oved from m e, and I b ecam e L ig h t b y th y g r e a t

P o w e r, for th ou

dost p re se rv e m e for e v e r.’

T h is is the

Repentance w h ich P is tis - S o p h ia sp ak e, w h en she w a s p ro cee d in g u p w ard s

in C h a o s, and w h en sh e h a d b een freed from its b o n d s.” T h e re u p o n T h o m a s cam e fo rw ard and said

[1 5 0 ] : “ T h y P o w e r o f

L ig h t p ro p h esied o f old th ro u g h Solom on , th e son o f D a v id , in h is O d es ; ‘ I am loosed from m y bonds.

I h a ve fled to th ee, O lord, for thou w ert

on m y rig h t h a n d p r o te c tin g m e ; and p rese rv in g and h e lp in g m e, thou d id st p rev en t th em th a t w ere fig h tin g a g a in st me, nor did th e y becom e v is ib le ; for th y fa ce (a p p e ara n ce) w a s w ith m e p re se rv in g me b y th y g r a c e (b ea u ty ).

I am lad en w ith d ish on ou r before th e m u ltitu d e, and th ey

h a v e c a s t m e forth .

I w a s a s lea d before th em .

T h o u h ast g iv en m e a

p o w er to h elp m e, for th ou h a st set lam p s on m y left hand and on m y r ig h t, so th a t n o th in g arou n d m e shou ld be w ith o u t lig h t.

T h o u d id st

s h e lte r m e under th e sh a d o w o f th y m e rcy , and I w a s p la ce d a b o v e the coats o f sk in .

(2) T h y rig h t h and h as ex a lte d m e, an d thou hast rem oved m y

w e a k n e ss fro m m e.

I am m a d e stro n g b y th y tru th , and purified b y th y

rig h teo u sn ess.

T h e y th a t figh t a g a in st m e, are rem oved from m e, and I

h a v e been ju stified b y th y good ness, fo r th y rest is for th e e te rn ity of ete rn ity .’

T h is , th en , m y M a ste r, is th e in terp re ta tio n o f the R e p en ta n ce,

w h ic h P i s t i s - S o p h i a sp ak e w h en sh e w a s p rese rv ed in C h ao s.

H e ark en ,

therefore, I w ill sp ea k in freed om .” [1 5 1 -1 5 3 ]

[T h o m a s then co m p a re s th e H y m n o f S o p h ia and th e O d e

o f Solom on , sen ten ce b y sen ten ce, and is com m en d ed for his in terp retation .] A n d th e F irst M y ste ry con tin u ed and sa id to h is D i s c ip le s : “ A n d P is tis - S o p h ia co n tin u in g, sa n g to m e sa y in g : [1 5 4 ] ‘ I sin g th is hymn, on h igh to th ee.

B y th y S ta tu te , th o u h ast b rou gh t m e fo rth from a high

/E on, w h ich is a b o v e th e H e a v e n , and thou hast led m e dow n in to the lo w er R e g io n s ; and a g a in b y th y S ta tu te , thou hast freed m e from the lo w er R egio n s, an d o f th y s e lf thou hast ta k e n a w a y th e H y le th e re , w h ich is in m y P o w e rs o f L ig h t and I h a v e seen it, and thou h a st a lso d ispersed from me th e P ro je c tio n s o f the S elf-w ille d O n e, w h ich w ere o p p ressin g m e, and w ere h o stile to m e, and th o u h ast g iv en m e A u th o r ity so th a t I should be freed from the bond s o f the P ro je c tio n s o f A d a m a s, and th o u h ast sm itten th e B a silisk w ith th e seven h ea d s. hand s and set m e a b o v e its H y le .

T h o u h ast c a s t it from m y

T h o u h ast cau sed it (the H y le ) to p erish,

so th a t its S eed sh o u ld not rise a ga in h en ceforth from th is tim e, and thou art the one w h o w ast w ith m e, g iv in g m e p o w er in a ll th ese (afflictions), and th y L ig h t surrounded m e in a ll R e gio n s, and of th y se lf, thou didst render a ll the P ro jectio n s o f th e S elf-w ille d O n e im poten t, for th o u d id st ta k e a w a y th e P o w e r o f th eir L ig h t from them and d id st d irect m y p a th to lead m e forth from C h a o s, and thou d id st tran sfer m e from th e H y lic D ark n ess, and d id st tak e a ll m y P o w ers, w h ose L ig h t th e y h ad ta k en , from them .

[1 5 5 ] T h o u d id st in fu se into them

pu re L ig h t, and to a ll m y

L im b s, w h ich had no L ig h t, thou d id st g iv e pu re L ig h t from th e L ig h t o f th e H e ig h t, an d thou d id st d ire ct th eir p a th for them , and th e L ig h t o f th y F o r m h as b ecom e m y L ife , vo id o f D estru c tio n .

T h o u h ast b ro u g h t

m e u p w a rd s a b o v e C h a o s, th e R egion o f C h a o s and D e stru c tio n , so th a t all the H y le {p i.) m ight be d isso lv ed , w h ic h are in th a t R e g io n , and th a t a ll m y P o w ers m a y be ren ew ed b y th y L ig h t, an d th y L ig h t b e in th em a ll. T h o u hast set th e L ig h t o f th y S trea m L ig h t .’

in m e.

I am b ecom e p u rified

T h is is th e secon d hym n w h ic h P i s t i s - S o p h i a sp a k e .”

[A n d

M a tth e w , h a v in g asked

and r e c e iv e d p erm issio n to sp e a k ,

a n sw ered and s a i d :] “ T h y P o w e r o f L ig h t p rop h esied o f old in an od e o f S olom on : ‘ (H e it is), w h o b rou gh t m e dow n from th e lo fty regio n s a b o v e th e h ea v en , [1 5 6 ] an d led m e u p w a rd s in th e regions, w h ich a re in th e lo w er fo u n d a tio n ; w h o too k a w a y th ere these th in gs, w h ich are in the m id st, and ta u g h t m e them ; w h o sc a tte re d m y en em ies an d m y a d versa ries, w h o g a v e m e a u th o rity * over th e b on d s so th a t I m igh t loose t h e m ; w h o s m o te th e serpent w ith th e se v e n h ea d s from m y han d s.

H e set m e a b o v e h i s

* In the further explanation this term is changed to " wisdom ” (SofAta).

root, th a t I m ight p lu ck u p his seed ; and thou w ert w ith m e, h elp in g m e, in e v e ry region thou d id st surround me w ith th y nam e.*

T h y rig h t hand

h a s m ad e to p erish the venom o f him w h o sp ea k eth e v il.

T h y h and h a th

m ade sm ooth th e w a y for them th a t h a v e confid ence in th ee.

T h o u hast

redeem ed them from th e tom bs, and thou h ast tran sferred them from the m idst o f th e corp ses.

T h o u h ast taken th e dead bones, thou hast clo th ed

them w ith a b o d y, and to them w ho stir not th em selves, thou h ast g iv en the e n e rg y o f life.

T h y w a y h a s b ecom e free from d estru ction , and b y th y

fo rm , thou h ast led th y aeon in to d estru ctio n , th a t all m ight be loosened

(dissolved) and b ecom e n ew , and th a t th y lig h t m ay b e dou bled for them all.

T h o u hast b u ilt u p th y w ea lth th rou gh them , and th e y h a v e becom e

a sa cred d w e llin g .’

T h is th en , m y M a ste r, is the in terp retation o f the

hym n w h ich P i s t i s - S o p h i a sp ak e.

H e a rk e n , therefore, I w ill tell it o p e n ly .’ ’

[[ 1 5 7 -1 6 0 ] M a tth e w then fu rth er ex p la in s th e H y m n o f S o p h i a , b y c o m p a rin g it w ith th e O d e o f S olom on , sen ten ce b y sen ten ce, and is com m en d ed for h is in terp retation .]

And the F irst M ystery continued: “ Th en Sophia continuing in this H ym n, sa id : ‘ I will say thou art the L ig h t from on high, for thou hast freed me and brought me to thyself, nor hast thou suffered the Projections of the Self-willed One, which are my foes, to take aw ay my L ig h t, O Light of L ig h ts ; I sing on high to thee. T hou hast freed me, O L ig h t ; thou hast led m y w ay on high in C h a o s ; thou hast freed me from those which descend into the M ist.” [1 6 1 ] And M ary cam e forward and s a id : “ I will tell the interpretation of the words which she (Sophia) spake, but I fear P eter, for he threatens me and hates our kind.” And the F irst M ystery said unto h e r : “ None shall prevent whom soever it m ay be who is filled with the Spirit of L ig h t, from coming forward and uttering the interpretation of the things which I sa y .” M ary, therefore, answered and s a id : “ Concerning the interpretation of the words which P is tis -S o p h ia spake, thy P ow er of L ig h t prophesied of old through D avid : ‘ I will exalt thee, O lord, for thou hast received me to thyself, neither hast thou made m y enemies to rejoice over me. O lord, my god, 1 have cried on high to thee and thou hast preserved me. O. lord, thou hast led my soul upwards in chaos. Thou hast preserved them that descend into the p it.”

[162] A n d

th e F ir s t M y ste ry h a v in g com m en ded M a ry , said to his

D is c ip le s : “ T h e n P i s t i s - S o p h i a continu ed in th is H y m n and s a id : ‘ T h e L ig h t h as b ecom e m y P res erv er, and h as turned m y D a rk n e ss into L ig h t, and h as cleft th e C h a o s surrounding m e ; he h as gird ed m e w ith L ig h t .’ ” A n d M a rth a cam e forw ard and said : “ M y M aster, th y P o w er prophesied of old th ro u g h D a v id con cern in g th e se w o r d s : * T h e lord h as b ecom e m y help er, he h as turned m y g r ie f into jo y . gird ed m e j o y .’ ”

H e h as rent m y sa ck c lo th and

A n d th e F ir s t M y s te ry com m en d ed M a rth a and said :

“ A n d P i s t i s - S o p h i a continu ed and s a id : ‘ S in g m y P o w e r to the L ig h t.

F o r g e t not all th e P o w e r o f th e L ig h t , w h ich it h ath g iv e n th e e, an d a ll the P o w e rs w h ich are in t h e e : sin g to the N a m e o f its S a c re d M y ste ry , w hich rem its all th y tran sgression s, for it p rese rv es th ee from all th e affliction s o f the P ro je c tio n s o f the S elf-w ille d O n e, [ 1 6 3 ] w h ich are n u m bered for D e stru c tion, for he h as g iv en thee in h is m ercy a C ro w n o f L ig h t, w h ile he p rese rv ed th ee, and filled thee w ith pure L ig h t, and th y B eg in n in g sh a ll be n ew as an In visib le o f th e H e ig h t.’ set fr e e and

rem em bered

T h u s sa n g P i s t i s - S o p h i a : and she was

a ll the evil deeds w h ich I h ad done to her.”

A n d M ary

cam e forw ard again and s a i d : “ C o n ce rn in g th ese w ord s th y P o w e r o f L ig h t prophesied through D a v id : ‘ P ra ise the lord, O m y s o u l: let all that is w ith in m e praise his h oly n am e............................. th y ch ild h o od shall be ren ew ed like as an e a g le ’s .’ T h a t is, S o p h i a sh a ll be as the In visib les, w hich a re in th e H e ig h t.

T h erefo re he said ‘ a s an e a g le ’s ,’ b ecau se th e h a b i

tation o f th e ea g le s is in th e H e ig h t, and th e y are in v isib le a lso in the H e ig h t.

[1 6 4 ] T h a t is, S o p h i a sh a ll shine as th e ea gles, lik e as sh e w as

in her v e ry B e g in n in g .” A n d th e F irs t M y ste ry co n tin u ed an d sa id : “ B e a rin g P i s t i s - S o p h i a , I b rou gh t her into th e R egio n , w h ich is b elo w th e T h irte e n th jE o n , and g a v e her a n ew M y ste ry o f L ig h t, w h ich d oes not b elon g to h er ow n jE o n , th e R e gio n o f th e In visib le, and

I also g a v e h er a H y m n o f L ig h t, so

th a t th e R u lers (of) th e ^Eon, should not overco m e h er h en ceforth from th is h o u r ; and I set her in th a t R egio n , until I should com e an d b rin g her into her R egio n in th e H e ig h t.

It cam e to pass, therefore, w hen I had set

her in th a t R e g io n , she again sa n g th is H y m n as f o llo w s : ‘ W ith confi d en ce I h a v e tru sted in the L ig h t, and reca llin g m y m em ory, it h a s heard m y H ym n.

H e h a s brou gh t m y W a y ou t o f C h a o s and th e low er M ist o f

H y le , and lea d in g m e u p w ard s, he h as set m e in a lo fty and stron g .<Eon; he h a s set m e in a p ath lea d in g to m y R egio n , and h as g iv en m e a n ew M y ste ry , w hich b elon gs not to m y .<Eon, and h a s g iv e n m e a H y m n o f L ig h t.

N ow , therefore, O L ig h t, all th e R u le rs sh all see w h a t th o u hast

done w ith m e, so th a t th e y m a y fear and h a v e con fid en ce in th e L ig h t .” [1 6 5 ] A n d A n d re w cam e forw ard and s a i d : “ M y M aster, th is is w h at th y P o w e r o f L ig h t p rop h esied o f old con cern in g her th rou gh ‘ W ith ta rry in g I w a ited for th e lord. m y p ra yer.

D a v id :

H e g a v e heed u n to m e and h eard

H e led m y soul from th e pit o f d istress and the m ire o f th e

m u d ; h e h as set m y feet upon a rock and d irected m y go in gs. c a st into m y m outh a n ew son g, th e p raise o f our go d .

H e h as

M an y sh a ll see it,

th a t th e y m ay fea r and hop e in the lo rd .” A n d th e F ir s t M y ste ry , a fter com m en d in g A n d re w , con tin u ed and sa id to his D is c ip le s : “ T h e s e are a ll th e th in g s w h ich b efell P i s t i s - S o p h i a . [1 6 6 ] It cam e to p ass w h en I h a d b ro u g h t her into th e R e g io n , w h ich is b elo w th e T h irte e n th iE o n , th a t I w a s a b ou t to a p p roach th e L ig h t in ord er th a t I m igh t d ep art from her and she said unto m e : ‘ L ig h t o f L ig h ts , thou art go in g to th e L ig h t, in order th a t thou m a y est d ep art from m e, and A d a m a s ,

th e T y r a n t, w ill k n ow th a t thou h a st d ep arted from m e, and he w ill k n o w th a t there is no one to p reserv e m e.

H e is a g a in com in g to me in th is R egion ,

he and a ll his R u lers, w h o h a te m e, and th e S elf-w ille d O n e also w ill g iv e stren gth to his P ro jectio n w ith th e a p p e a ra n ce o f a L io n , in order th a t a ll m ay com e tog eth er and op p ress m e, and ta k e a w a y the w h ole o f m y L ig h t from m e, so th a t I m a y b ecom e im poten t and b e again d ep riv ed o f m y L ig h t.

N o w , therefore, L ig h t o f L ig h ts , ta k e a w a y the P o w e r o f their

L ig h t from them , so th a t th e y m a y b e not able to op press m e h en ce forth from th is h o u r.’

A n d w h en

I had

h eard

these

w ord s,

w hich

P is t is - S o p h ia sp ak e, I a n sw ered and said unto h e r : ‘ M y F a th e r w h ich projected m e, h as not y e t g iv en m e com m an d to ta k e a w a y th eir L ig h t from th em , b ut I w ill seal th e R e gio n s o f the S elf-w ille d O n e and a ll its R u lers w h ich h a te thee, so th a t thou m ayest h a v e confid ence in th e L i g h t : and I w ill a lso seal th e R egio n s o f A d a m a s and h is R u lers, so th a t th e y m ay not h a v e the P o w e r to figh t w ith th ee, u n til th eir tim e h a s b een com pleted, and th e hour a rrives for m y F a th e r to g iv e m e com m andm ent to ta k e a w a y th eir L ig h t from th e m .’

[1 6 7 ]

A n d a fterw a rd s I again said to

h e r : ‘ H e ark en , I w ill te ll th ee the tim e, w h en th ese th in gs w h ich I tell th ee, w ill com e to pass.

It w ill b e w hen three T im es h a v e been co m p leted .’

A n d P i s t i s - S o p h ia an sw ered and said unto m e : 10

L ig h t, h o w sh all I

k n o w , w hen th e th ree T im e s sh all be, in order th a t I m ay rejoice and be g la d , in th a t th e tim e h as d raw n n igh, for th ee to lead me to m y R egio n ; w h en also I shall rejoice in th a t th e tim e is nigh for th ee to ta k e a w a y th e P o w e r o f L ig h t from all o f them w h ich h ate m e, for I h a ve tru sted in th y L ig h t ? ’

‘ A n d I an sw ered and said u n to her, ‘ W h e n thou shalt see

th e G a te s o f the T re a s u re o f th e G r e a t L ig h t, w h ich is opened in the T h irte e n th /E on, w h ich is in th e L e f t ,— w hen th e y shall open th a t G a te , th ree T im e s sh all h a v e been fu lfille d .’

A n d S o p h ia a n sw ered again and

s a i d : ‘ O L ig h t, w hen sh all I k n o w , w h ile I turn in th is R egio n , th at th at G a te is open ed ? ’

A n d I an sw ered and said unto her : ‘ W h e n th ey open

th a t G a te , th ey w h o are in all the /E ons, shall k n ow b ecau se o f the g rea t L ig h t , for it shall be in a ll th eir R egio n s.

L o , then , I h a v e ord ain ed it,

th a t th e y should not ven tu re a ga in st th ee in an y e v il, u n til th ree T im e s are fu lfilled .

B u t thou sh alt h a v e the po w er o f go in g into th eir T w e lv e

/E ons a t w h a t tim e thou m ayest w ish , and o f retu rn in g [1 6 8 ] to com e into th y ow n R egion w h ich is b elow th e T h irte e n th J E o n , in w h ich th ou n ow a r t ; b u t thou shalt not h a ve th e po w er o f en terin g w ith in into th e G a te o f the H e ig h t, w h ich is in the T h irteen th /Eon, th at thou m ayest com e into th y R e g io n , from w h ich thou d id st com e forth.

N a y , th en , w h en three

T im e s are fulfilled, the S elf-w illed O n e w ith a ll its R u le rs shall op press thee a ga in , to ta k e a w a y th y L ig h t from th ee, b ein g en rag ed w ith th ee, th in k in g th at thou art su p p ressin g its P o w e r in C h a o s, and th a t thou h ast taken a w a y its L ig h t from it.

T h erefo re , w ill it b e en rag ed w ith thee, in ord er

th at it m a y ta k e th y L ig h t from thee, and send it into C h ao s, and im p art

it to th a t P ro jectio n o f his, in ord er th a t it m ay h a ve pow er to issu e from C h a o s and com e into its ow n R e g io n .

T h e s e w ill A d a m a s h e l p ; bu t I w ill

ta k e a w a y a ll th eir P o w e rs from him ; I w ill g iv e them to thee and come to ta k e them .

N o w , therefore, w h en th e y o p p ress thee at th a t tim e, sing

on high to the L ig h t, and I w ill not d e la y to aid t h e e ; n ay , I am com in g to thee q u ick ly from th e R e gio n s w hich are below th e e ; to their

an d I am com ing

R e g io n s ; I w ill ta k e a w a y th eir L ig h t from them : an d I am

com in g to th is R e g io n , in w h ich I h ave set th ee b elow the T h irte e n th iEon, until I sh all seek a ga in th y R egion , w h en ce th ou h ast com e fo rth .â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

[1 6 9 ]

A n d it cam e to pass, w h en P i s t i s - S o p h i a h ad h eard these w ord s, w h ich I sp ak e unto her, th a t she rejoiced w ith g rea t jo y . R e g io n , w h ich is b elow the T h irteen th

A n d I, le a v in g h er in the

iE o n , cam e to th e L ig h t and

d ep arted from h er.â&#x20AC;? T h u s h ad th e F ir s t M y s te ry spoken to h is D is c ip le s con cern in g a ll the th in g s w h ich h a d b efallen P i s t i s - S o p h i a , and w a s sea te d on th e M ount of O liv e s n a rra tin g them .

A n d he con tin u ed and said unto t h e m : â&#x20AC;&#x153; It cam e

to p a ss a fter th ese th in gs, w hen I w a s sittin g in th e W o rld o f M en , sittin g b esid e th e w a y , w h ich is th is p la ce , th a t is th e M ou nt o f O liv e s, before th e y h a d sent m y V e stu re to m e, w h ich I had p la ce d in the Four-andtw en tieth M y ste ry from the In terior, w h ich is also th e F ir s t from the E x te rio r, w h ich sam e is th e g rea t U n co n ta in a b le , in w h ich I sh in e f o r th ; an d I h a d not y e t com e into th e H e ig h t to receive m y tw o V e stu re s a ls o ; w h en I w a s sea te d w ith you in th is p la ce , w h ich is th e M ount o f O lives, the T im e w a s fulfilled, w h en

told P i s t i s - S o p h i a th a t A d a m a s w ould

op p ress her w ith a ll h is R u lers.

It cam e to pass, therefore, w h en that

tim e w a s com e, [1 7 0 ] th a t A d a m a s g a z e d forth from th e T w e lv e iEons, p eerin g dow n into th e R egio n s o f C h ao s. H e sa w his ow n Daem onial P o w er, w h ich is in C h ao s, u tterly d ep rived o f its L ig h t, for I had ta k en its L ig h t from i t ; and he sa w th a t it w a s dim m ed and had not the po w er to com e to

its ow n

R egion ,

w h ich

th e

T w e lv e

,<Eons: so

A d a m a s again

rem em bered P i s t i s - S o p h i a and w a s e x c e e d in g ly en rag ed w ith her, th in k in g th a t it w a s she w h o w a s op p ressin g his P o w e r in C h a o s, an d h a d tak en

So he w a s g r e a tly en raged , an d c a stin g w ra th on

a w a y its L ig h t from it.

w rath , em an ated from h im self a D ark P ro jec tio n , and also an oth er u n cou th (P ro jectio n ) o f

ev il C h ao s, th a t

C on fusion th erew ith .

m igh t

th ro w

P is tis -S o p h ia

into

A n d he created a D a rk R e g io n in h is ow n R egio n ,

in w h ich to op p ress S o p h ia ; and assem b led the h o sts o f h is ow n R u le rs. T h e y pu rsu ed a fter S o p h ia to d ra g her into the d a rk C h ao s, w h ich he created , and to o p p ress

h er

th a t R egion , so th a t

th e

tw o

D a rk

P ro je c tio n s w h ich A d a m a s had em an ated m igh t th ro w her in to confu sion, un til th e y sh o u ld ta k e a w a y a ll her L ig h t from h er ; and th a t A d a m a s m igh t ta k e a w a y the L ig h t o f P i s t i s - S o p h i a , and g iv e it to th e tw o u n relen tin g P rojection s, th at th e y m ight ta k e it into th e g rea t lo w er C h ao s, w h ich is the M ist [1 7 1 ] , and cast it into th eir ow n P o w e r o f M ist, w h ic h is

the C h ao s, (to see) w h eth er p erch a n ce it m ight com e to its ow n R e g io n , b ecau se it w a s M ist as m u ch as p o ssib le , sin ce I had ta k en a w a y its P o w e r o f L ig h t from it. “ It cam e to pass, therefore, w h en th e y had pu rsu ed after P i s t i s S o p h ia , th a t c ry in g out a ga in , she sa n g on h igh to th e L ig h t, for I said

unto h e r : ‘ W h e n th e y sh all op p ress th ee, sin g on h ig h to m e, I w ill com e q u ic k ly to help th e e.’

It cam e to p a ss, therefore, w h en th e y b egan to

o p p ress her, an d I w a s sittin g am on g yo u in th is p la ce , w h ich is the M ount o f O liv e s, th a t she sa n g on h ig h to th e L ig h t, s a y in g : ‘ L ig h t o f L ig h ts , I h a ve trusted in t h e e ; p reserve m e from all these R u le rs w h ich are p u rsu in g m e, and a id m e, lest th e y shou ld ta k e m y L ig h t from m e, lik e a s (did) the P o w e r w ith the a p p e ara n ce o f a L io n , for n eith er h a ve I th y L ig h t, nor the S trea m L ig h t, to p rese rv e m e.

M o reover A d a m a s is en raged a ga in st me, s a y in g : “ T h o u

d idst sup p ress m y P o w e r in C h a o s.”

N o w , therefore, O L ig h t o f L ig h ts ,

if I h a v e done th is and su p p ressed it, if I h a v e done a n y in ju stice to th a t P o w e r, or i f I h a v e op pressed it, like as it oppressed m e, m ay then all th ese R u lers w h ich pu rsu e m e, ta k e a w a y m y L ig h t, and send m e a w a y em p ty , and m a y m y foe A d a m a s pu rsu e m y P o w e r, to ta k e it, and ta k e a w a y m y L ig h t from m e, and infuse it into his d a rk P o w e r, w h ich is in C h ao s, and set m y P o w e r in C h ao s.

[1 7 2 ]

N o w , th erefore, O L ig h t,

raise m e u p in th y w ra th , and e x a lt m y P o w er a b o v e m y enem ies, w h ich h a ve risen up a ga in st m e at th e en d .

H a ste th ee, restore m e, a cc o rd in g as

thou hast said : ‘ I w ill h elp th e e .’ ” A n d w h en th e F irst M y s te ry had finish ed, Jam es cam e forw ard and recited the sev en th P sa lm (v v . i — 6). [1 7 3 ] And the F irst M ystery commended James and continued: “ It cam e to pass that when P is tis -S o p h ia had finished the words of this

H ym n, that she turned round to see whether Adam as would turn back w ith his Rulers, so that they should come into their own iE on, and she saw them pursuing her, and turning said unto them : ‘ W h y do ye pursue me, saying that I have no help so as to be preserved from you ? N ow, therefore, the L ig h t is the Judge and Stron g: yea he has been longsuffering until the time when he said unto me “ I come to aid thee,” neither shall he cast his wrath upon you for all time, but this is the time of which he told me. N ow , therefore, if ye will not turn back and cease to pursue me, the L ig h t will prepare his w ay and set in order all his P ow ers; yea he has prepared his w ay to take your L ig h ts from you arid ye shall be dim. A nd he has generated his Pow ers to take aw ay your power from you, so that ye m ay perish.’ And when P istis-S o p h ia had said this, gazin g into the Region o f Adam as, [1 7 4 ] she saw the D ark Region and the Chaos which he generated, and also saw the two D ark and very cruel Projections, which Adam as had emanated, to seize on P istis-S o p h ia and take her down into the Chaos which he generated, that they might oppress her in that Region and throw her into confusion until they should have

ta k en her L ig h t from her.

T h ereu p on P i s t i s - S o p h i a feared and cried out

to the L ig h t, s a y in g : ‘ L o , O L ig h t, A d a m a s, the D o er o f In ju stice, is en rag ed and h as g en era ted a D a rk P ro jectio n , an d also anoth er P rojection of

C h ao s, an d h as g e n e ra ted

th ird

P ro jectio n a lso o f

has d raw n h im self up (in b attle a rray ). for th e C h ao s w h ich he

h as gen era ted , th at

it, and ta k e a w a y m y P o w e r o f

L ig h t

C h ao s, and

N o w , therefore, O L ig h t, as he m igh t c a st m e into

from

m e, ta k e thou it from

h im ; an d a s for the plan w h ich he has d evised , to ta k e a w a y m y L ig h t, let them tak e it from him ; and as for the in ju stice, w h ich he u ttered for the ta k in g a w a y o f m y L ig h t, tak e thou a ll o f h is .’ ” [1 7 5 ]

[A n d M a rth a cam e fo rw ard a ga in , and recited the

seven th

P sa lm (v v . i i — 16)]. [1 7 6 ]

A n d Jesu s con tin u ed in

h is

con versation an d said to his

D isc ip le s : “ It cam e to pass, th erefore, after a ll these th in gs, th a t carry in g P is tis - S o p h ia ,

I led her into the T h irte e n th /E on, b ein g th e g rea te st

p ossible L ig h t — for there w as no lim it to m y L ig h t — , and en tered into th e R egion o f the F o u r-an d -tw en tieth In visib le, and th e y (the In visib les) w ere d istu rb ed w ith g rea t pertu rb ation, and h a v in g regarded , th e y saw S o p h ia w ho w a s w ith m e, an d

recogn ised

her, but m y se lf th e y did

not kn ow , w ho I w as, but th o u gh t th at I w a s som e P ro jectio n o f the R egio n o f L ig h t.

It cam e to pass, therefore, w hen S o p h ia sa w her fellow

In visib les, th a t she rejoiced w ith great and w ish ed

to show

them

jo y

the w onderful

and

w a s ex ceed in g glad ,

th in gs w h ich I

had

done

con cern in g her b elow in the W o r ld o f M en ( lit ., E a rth o f H u m a n ity) until I had freed h er.

A sc e n d in g into the m id st o f th e In visib les, she sa n g to

m e in th e m idst o f them , s a y in g : [1 7 7 ] ‘ I w ill praise thee, O L ig h t, in th a t thou art the S a v io u r, an d thou art the R ed eem er for all tim e.

I w ill

utter th is H y m n to th e L ig h t, in th a t it h as p reserved and freed m e from the hand o f the R u lers, m y en em ies, and h as set me free in all the R e gio n s, an d in the H e ig h t, and in the d ep th o f the C h ao s ( p i ) , and in the /E ons o f the R u lers o f the S p h e r e ; and w hen I had com e forth from the H e ig h t, I w an d ered in the R e gio n s in w h ich th ere is no L ig h t.

I w as not a b le to

turn m y self b a ck into the T h irte e n th /E on, m y h a b ita tio n , b ecau se th ere w a s no L ig h t in m e, or P o w e r ; m y P o w er w a s u tterly afflicted . L ig h t p reserv ed m e in all a fflic tio n s ; I san g to the L ig h t. w hen th e y op pressed m e, it sh ew ed m e

A n d th e

It h eard m e

m y w a y in th e C reatio n o f

th e /E ons, in order th a t it m igh t lead m e to the T h irteen th /E on, m y d w ellin g -p lace.

w ill praise thee, O L ig h t,

m e ; and th y w on d ers in the R a c e o f M en. P o w er, thou g a v e s t L ig h t, thou

P o w e r to m e, and w hen

d id st fill m e w ith

th e S h a d o w o f C h ao s.

for

thou

hast

preserved

W h e n I w a s d ep riv ed o f m y

pure L ig h t.

I w as d ep riv ed o f m y I w as

in the M ist and

I w as bound w ith th e h ard bonds o f C h ao s, in

w hich is no L ig h t, b ecau se I h a v e provoked the S ta tu te o f th e L i g h t ; I tran sgressed , and m ade w rath the S ta tu te o f the L ig h t, in th a t I w en t

forth from m y R egion .

[1 7 8 ] A n d w h en I had d escen d ed , I la c k e d m y

P o w e r and w a s w ith o u t L ig h t, and no one h elp ed m e ; and w h en th ey op pressed m e, I sa n g on h igh to th e L ig h t, and it p reserved m e from all m y affliction s, and also sev ered all m y b onds. M ist and th e affliction s o f C h ao s.

It led m e forth from the

T h o u hast b roken th e lo fty G a te s o f the

M ist, and also th e h ard b o lts o f C h ao s, and w h en th e y op pressed m e, I san g on h igh to th e L i g h t ; it p reserved m e from

a ll m y afflictions.

S en d in g th y S trea m , thou d id st g iv e P o w e r to m e, and didst free m e from a ll m y a fflictio n s." [1 7 9 - 1 8 1 ]

[A n d P h ilip cam e forw ard and ex p la in e d th e H y m n o f

P i s t i s - S o p h i a b y recitin g the one hun dred and seven th P salm (v v . 1 — 21)] (3).

COM M ENTARY. (1) O n u s . T h e U n d erw o rld (see T a b le I., L u c ife r , N o . 34, page 319) has th ree d ivision s, O rcu s, C h ao s and the O u ter D ark n e ss. In the allego rica l d escrip tion s o f th e fa te o f sin n in g souls, in oth er w ords, the fa te o f the low er p rin cip les a fter d eath , w e are inform ed th a t in O rcu s ( lit., a prison or enclosure), souls are torm en ted w ith F ire , in C h a o s w ith F ir e , D ark n e ss and S m o k e ; and in the CeUigo E x te r n a w ith ad ded H a il, S n o w , Ice, and cru el C o ld . T h is w ou ld m ake these th ree lokas represen t th e sta te s o f m atter corresp on d in g to K a m a R u p a (B o d y o f D esire), L in g a S a rira (A stra l B o d y) and S tu la S a rir a (P h y s ic a l B o d y). T h erefo re , w hen w e read : “ th e y cast m e in to O rcu s d ep riv ed o f m y L ig h t ,” w e n atu ra lly can un derstan d that th e K a m a p rin cip le w ou ld o f n ecessity dull th e L ig h t o f the sp iritu al p rin cip les and d ep riv e them o f th e ir pow er. (2) C oats o f S k in . T h is term w a s u n iv ersa lly understood b y the G n o stic s to m ean th e P h y s ic a l B o d y . A s said in I s is U nveiled (I., 149), “ T h e C h ald ea n K a b a lis ts tell us th a t p rim ev al m an, w ho, c o n tra ry to the D arw in ia n th eory, w a s pu rer, w iser, and far m ore sp iritu a l, as show n b y the m y th s o f th e S ca n d in a v ia n B u r, the H in d u D e v a s , and the M osaic ‘ S o n s o f G o d ,’— in short, o f a fa r h igh er n atu re than th e m an o f the presen t A d a m ic race, b ecam e despiritualised or tain ted w ith m a tter, and then, for th e first tim e, w a s g iv en th e fle s h ly body, w h ich is typ ified in G enesis in th a t p rofou n d ly sign ifican t v e rs e : ‘ U n to A d a m also and to his w ife did th e L ord G o d make them coats o f skin, and clothed them .” (S ee p age 107, “ gird le o f sk in .” ) P is tis -S o p h ia . W ith p a g e 181 o f th e C o p tic co d ex , w e com e to th e co n clusion o f th e in cid en t o f th e R ep en tan t S o p h ia . T h e 139 p a g es w h ich d eal w ith th e su b ject d em and th e clo sest atten tion o f th e student o f E sotericism , for not on ly h a ve w e here a h isto ry o f the “ p ilg rim a ge ” o f th e S o u l, but also a d escrip tion o f th e d egrees o f In itiation w h ich corresp on d b oth to the n atu ra l d eg re es or sta te s o f consciou sness, and to the c y c le s o f hum an evolu tion . W e w ill now en d eavou r to revie w th is P ilg rim a g e o f P i s t i s S o p h ia , follow in g the p ath o f her “ tran sgression ” or desire for L ig h t, th ro u g h her 1 3 R e p en ta n ces, or Changes o f M in d ( M eta-noiac, ch an ges of the N o u s or M a n a s ), until h er restoration to the T hirteen th / E o n , her proper region or plan e. T o a tta in to the k n ow led g e o f L ig h t, or the L o go s, th e soul h a s to d escen d into M a tte r or H y le . H e n c e P i s t i s - S o p h i a , d esirin g th e L ig h t, d escen d s to w a rd s its R eflection from the T h irte e n th iE o n , th rou gh the T w e lv e

.(Eons, into the d ep th s o f C h ao s, w h ere she is in d an ger o f entirely losing all her ow n inn ate L ig h t or S p irit, o f w h ich she is co n tin u a lly d ep rived by the P o w ers o f M atter. H a v in g d escen ded to the low est d ep ths o f C h ao s, she at len gth rea ch es the lim it, and the p ath of her p ilg rim a ge b egin s to lead up w ard to S p irit a ga in . T h u s she rea ch e s the B a la n c e ; and still y e a rn in g for th e L ig h t, rounds the tu rnin g-point o f the c y c le , and ch an gin g the ten d en cy o f her th o u gh t or m ind, recites her p en iten tial h ym n s or R e p en t an ces. H e r ch ief en em y w ho, w ith his fa lse L i g h t , h as d raw n her down into C h ao s, is Ild ab aoth , the Pow er w ith the appearance o f a L io n , th e K a m a “ prin cip le ” , the false “ L ig h t " in C h ao s, w hich is assisted b y th e 2 4 H y lic or m aterial P ro jectio n s, or E m an atio n s, the reflection s o f the 2 4 S u p ern al P ro jectio n s, the co-p artn ers of P i s t i s - S o p h i a , 4 8 in all, w h ich together w ith th at pow er or a sp ect from w h ich the w h ole m ay a t a n y tim e be view ed , m ake 4 9 -* T h u s then she first u tters 7 R e p en ta n ces. A t the 4 t h o f these, the tu rnin g-point of a su b -cy cle, she p ra ys th a t th e Image o f L ig h t m ay not be turned from her, for the tim e w a s com e w hen the R ep en ta n ce o f “ those w h o turn in the L o w e s t R egion s ” should be regarded, “ the m y stery w h ich is m ade the T y p e o f the R a c e .” (4 t h R ou n d ). A t the 6t h the L ig h t ( U pper M anas) rem its her tran sgression , in th a t she quitted her ow n R egion and fell into C h a o s ; but th e com m and had not y et com e from the F ir s t M ystery (B u d d h i ) to free her en tirely from C h ao s. T herefore at the conclusion of her 7 t h R ep en tan ce, w here she p lead s th at she has done it in ignorance through her love for the L ig h t, Jesus, the In itiate on the o b je c tiv e plane and the L ig h t on th e su b jective plane, w ithout the com mand o f the F i r s t M ystery (i.e., the pow er of M an as alone w ith ou t B u d d h i) , raises her up to a slig h tly less confined R egion in C h ao s, but S o p h i a still knew not by whom it was done. A t the 9 t h R ep en ta n ce the F ir s t M y stery p a rtly a ccep ted her p ra y e r and sent Jesus, the L ig h t, to h elp her secretly, th a t is, w ith ou t the p o w ers of the .(Eons k n ow in g i t ; then did P i s t i s - S o p h i a recogn ise the L ig h t . H e r next 4 H y m n s are su n g know ingly to th e L ig h t , and are o f th e n atu re of th a n k sg iv in g , and of d eclaration th a t K a rm ic ju stice shall sh o rtly overtak e her op pressors, w h ile she p ra y s to be d elivered from her “ tran sg ressio n ,” v iz ., the K a m ic P o w er w ith the a p p e a ra n ce o f a L io n . A fte r the 1 3 t h R ep en tan ce, Jesu s a ga in , o f him self, w ithou t the F ir s t M y s te ry , em an ated a b rillia n t P o w er of L ig h t from him self, and sent it to aid S o p h i a , to raise her high er still in C h ao s, until the com m and should com e to free her e n tire ly .+ N e x t follow s a d escription o f the L ig h t-p o w e rs w hich should be clo sely com pared w ith the d escrip tion o f th e 3 Vestures in the o p en in g p a g es o f the C o d ex . T h e n w hile S o p h i a pours forth h ym n s o f jo y , the P o w er b ecom es a Crow n to her head, and her H y le or m aterial p ro p en si ties begin to be purified, w h ile the sp iritu al or L ig h t-p o w e rs w h ich she h as still retain ed, join th em selves w ith the “ V estu re o f L ig h t ” w h ich h as d escen d ed upon her. Then w a s the S ta tu te fulfilled, and the F irst M y ste ry , in its turn, sent forth a great P o w er o f L ig h t, w hich join ed w ith th e first P o w e r em anated b y the “ L ig h t ,” and b ecam e a g rea t Stream of L ig h t , th is P o w er w a s the F irs t M y ste ry itse lf L o o k in g -w ith o u t (B u d d h i-M a n a s) on its ow n plane and the “ glorified ” In itiate in th is terrestrial sphere. It cam e forth from the F ir s t M y ste ry L o ok in g -w ith in (A tm a -B u d d h i), or “ the F a th e r .” W h e n then th is is accom p lish ed , P i s t i s - S o p h i a , the I.ower M an as, is pu rified aga in , and her L ig h t-p o w e rs are stren gthen ed and filled w ith L ig h t, b y their ow n co-partner of L ig h t, th at S y zy g y , w ith ou t w hom P i s t i s - S o p h i a in the b egin nin g th o u gh t she could reach the L ig h t o f L ig h ts , and so fell in to error. S till she is not even y et en tirely freed from the bonds o f M atter, for the h igh er she rises, the stronger are the P o w e rs or P ro je c tio n s sen t * C o m p a re th e list o f 26 Tatwas (24 + 1 o r from a n o th e r asp ect 5 x 5) in th e a r tic le en title d “ T h e H in d u T h e o r y o f V ib r a t io n ” in th e N o v e m b e r Thtosophist. + T h e r e are, th erefo re,

3 d eg rees o f C h a o s.

against her, who proceed to change their shapes , so that she now has to strug gle against still greater foes which are em anated and directed by the strong est and subtlest Powers of M atter. Thereupon, P istis-S o p h ia is surrounded entirely with the Stream of L ight and further supported on either hand by M ichael and Gabriel, the “ S u n ” and “ Moon.” The “ W in g s” of the “ Great Bird ” flutter, the “ W inged Globe ” unfolds its pinions, preparatory to its flight. For is not the Infinitude of Space, “ the nest of the Eternal Bird, the flutter of whose wings produces life ? ” ( S . D . II. 293). Thus the last great battle com m ences. The First M ystery Looking-w ithout, directs its attack against the “ cruel crafty powers, passions incarnate ” and causes P istis-S o p h 1a to tread underfoot the Basilisk with the seven heads, destroy ing its H yle, “ so tha t no seed could arise from it henceforth," and casting down the rest of the opposing host.* Thereupon P istis-S o p h ia sings triumphant H ym ns of Praise on her being loosed from the bonds of Chaos. Thus was she set free and remembered. Yet the Great Self-willed One and Adam as, the Tyrant, were not yet entirely subdued, for the comm and had not yet com e from the F irst M ystery, Looking-within the Father. Therefore does the First M ystery, Looking-w ithout, seal their R egions and those of their Rulers until 3 tim es are com pleted. T hat is until the com pletion of the 7 t h Round (for we are now in the 4 th ) when hum anity will pass into the interplanetary Nirvana. '1 his N irvana, however, is a state outside of space and tim e, as we know them , and therefore can be reached now and w ith in , by very holy m en, Narjols and Arhats, who can attain to the highest degree of the m ystical contem plation, called in the E ast Sam adhi. For then shall the “ G ates of the Treasure of the Great L ight ” be opened, as described in our text, and the N irvanic heights be crossed by the “ Pilgrim ” ( c l p a g g . 169-181). ( T o be continued.)

-3 0 6 -

Uijpnotrsnt, A N D IT S R E L A T IO N S T O O T H E R M O D ES O F F A S C IN A T IO N . r(y

E are asked b y “ H . C . ” and oth er F e llo w s, to a n sw er th e several q ueries h ereafter propounded.

W e do so, but w ith a r e s e r v a

tion : ou r rep lies m ust b e m ade from th e stan dp oin t o f O ccu ltism alon e, no c o n sid eration b eing g iv en to such h yp o th eses o f m odern (another nam e for ‘ m a teria listic ’) S cie n c e, as m a y cla sh w ith eso teric teach in g s. Q.

W h a t is

H y p n o tis m : how does it differ fro m

A nim al

M agn etism (or

M esm erism ) ? A n s.

H y p n o tism

is the

n ew scien tific nam e for the old ign oran t

‘ su p erstition ’ va rio u sly called ‘ fa scin atio n ’ and ‘ en c h a n tm e n t.’ a n tiq u a te d lie tran sform ed into a m odern tru th . sc ie n tific exp lan ation o f it is still w a n tin g .

It is an

T h e fa ct is th ere, b u t the

B y som e it is b elieved th at

H y p n o tis m is the resu lt o f an irritation a rtific ia lly p rod u ced on th e p erip h ery

o f th e n e r v e s ; th a t th is irrita tio n re a ctin g upon, p a sse s into the cells o f th e b ra in -su b sta n ce, ca u sin g b y ex h a u stio n a cond ition w h ich is but a n o th e r m ode o f sleep (hypnosis, or hupnos ) ; b y oth ers th a t it is sim ply a * S e e Light on the Path, i s t E d . , pp. 1 5 - 1 7 .

self-in du ced stu p or, prod u ced c h ie fly b y im agin ation , & c., & c.

I t differs

from anim al m agn etism w here the h yp n o tic cond ition is p rod u ced b y the B ra id m ethod, w h ic h is a p u rely m ech a n ical one, i.e ., the fix in g o f th e eyes on som e b rig h t spot, a m etal or a c ry s ta l.

It b ecom es ‘ anim al m agn etism ’

(or m esm erism ), w h en it is a ch ie v e d b y ‘ m esm eric ’ p a sses on th e patien t, and for th ese reasons.

W h e n the first m ethod is u sed, no electro -p sych ic,

or even electro -p h ysica l c u rren ts are at w o rk, b u t sim ply th e m ech an ical, m olecu lar vib ra tio n s o f th e m etal o r c ry sta l g a ze d a t b y th e su b ject.

It is

th e eye — th e m ost o ccu lt organ o f all, on the su p erficies o f our b o d y — w hich, b y servin g as a m edium b etw een th a t b it o f m etal or c ry sta l and th e brain, attunes th e m olecu lar vib ra tio n s o f th e n ervou s cen tre s o f th e la tte r into unison ( i.e ., e q u a lity in th e

n um ber o f th eir re sp e ctiv e o scillation s) w ith

th e vib ra tio n s o f th e b rig h t o b ject held. prod u ces the h y p n o tic sta te.

A n d , it is th is unison w hich

B u t in th e second case, th e righ t n am e for

hypn otism w ou ld c e rta in ly b e ‘ anim al m agn etism ’ or th a t so m uch derided term ‘ m esm erism

F o r, in the h y p n o tiza tio n b y p relim in a ry p asses, it is the

hum an w ill— w h eth er con sciou s or o th erw ise— o f th e op erato r him self, that a cts upon th e n ervou s system o f th e p atien t.

A n d it is again th rou gh the

vib ra tio n s— o n ly atom ic, not m olecular — p rod u ced b y

th a t

a ct o f en ergy

c alled W i l l in th e eth er o f sp a c e (therefore, on q u ite a different plane) th a t the super-hypnotic sta te ( i.e ., ‘ su g g estio n ,’ & c.) is in d u ced .

F o r those

w h ich w e c a ll ‘ w ill-v ib ra tio n s ’ and th eir au ra, are a b so lu tely d istin ct from th e vib ra tio n s prod u ced b y th e sim p ly m ech a n ical m olecu lar m otion, the tw o a c tin g on tw o sep a ra te d eg rees o f the cosm o-terrestrial p la n es.

H ere,

o f course, a c le a r rea liza tio n o f th a t w h ich is m ean t b y w ill in O ccu lt S cie n ces, is n ecessary. Q.

I n lo th (hypnotism and anim al magnetism) there is an act o f w ill in the

operator, a tran sit o f som ething fr o m him to his p a tien t, an effect upon the p a tien t. W h a t is the ‘ som ething ’ transm itted in both cases ? A n s.

That

w h ich

tran sm itted

h as

n am e

E u rop ean

lan gu a g es, and if w e sim p ly d escrib e it a s w ill, it loses all its m eanin g. T h e old and v e r y m uch ta b o o ed w ord s,

‘ en ch an tm en t,’ ‘ fa scin a tio n ,’

‘ g la m o u r ’ and ‘ sp e ll,’ and e sp e c ia lly th e ve rb

‘ to b e w itc h ,’ ex p ressed

fa r m ore s u g g e stiv e ly th e real actio n th a t too k p la ce d u rin g th e p ro cess o f such a transmission, th an th e m odern and m eanin gless term s, ‘ p s y c h o lo g iz e ' and

‘ b io lo gize.’

O c cu ltism

c a lls th e

force

tran sm itted ,

th e

‘ au ric

f l u i d ,' to d istin gu ish it from th e ‘ au ric l i g h t ; ' th e ‘ fluid ’ b ein g a co rre

lation o f atoms on a h igh er plane, and a descen t to th is low er one, in th e sh a p e o f im p a lp a b le and in v isib le p la stic S u b stan ces, g en era ted and d ire cted b y the po ten tial W i l l ; the ‘ au ric lig h t ,' or th a t w h ich R e ic h e n b a c h c a lls O d , a lig h t th at surrounds e v e ry an im ate and in an im ate o b ject in n atu re, is, on th e oth er hand, but th e astral reflection

em a n a tin g from o b je c t s ; its

p a rticu la r colou r and colou rs, th e co m b in atio n s and v a rie tie s o f th e la tte r, d en otin g th e state, o f th e gunas, or q u a lities and ch a ra cte ris tic s o f e a c h

sp ecia l ob ject and su b ject— th e hum an b e in g ’s a u ra b e in g th e stron gest o f all. Q.

W h a t is the rationale o f ‘ Vam pirism ’ ?

A n s.

I f b y th is w ord is m eant th e in v o lu n tary tran sm ission o f a

portion o f on e’s v ita lity , or life-essen ce, b y a kin d o f o ccu lt osmosis from one person to another— th e la tte r b ein g en d ow ed , or afflicted rath er, w ith su ch va m p irizin g fa cu lty , then , th e a ct can b ecom e com p reh en sib le on ly w h en w e

stu d y w ell th e n a tu re and essen ce o f the sem i-su b stan tial ‘ au ric fluid ’ spoken o f ju s t n ow .

L ik e e v e ry oth er o ccu lt form in N atu re, th is end —

and exosmosic process m a y b e m ade b eneficent or m aleficent, eith er u n con scio u sly or at w ill.

W h e n a h e a lth y o p erato r m esm erizes a p a tien t w ith a

d eterm in ed d esire to relieve and cu re him , th e ex h a u stio n felt b y the form er is prop ortion ate to th e relief g i v e n : a

process o f endosmose h as

ta k en p la ce , th e h ea ler h a v in g p a rted w ith a portion o f his v ita l a u ra to ben efit th e sic k m an.

V am p irism , on th e oth er hand , is a b lin d and

m ech a n ica l p rocess, g e n e ra lly p rod u ced w ith o u t th e k n ow led g e o f eith er th e absorber, or th e va m p irized p a rty . black m a gic, as th e c a se m a y b e.

It is con sciou s or u n con sciou s

F o r in th e c a se o f train ed a d ep ts and

sorcerers, th e p rocess is prod u ced co n scio u sly and w ith th e g u id a n ce of th e W ill.

In both c a se s th e a gen t o f tran sm ission is a m agn etic and

a ttr a c tiv e fa cu lty , terrestrial and p h ysio lo g ical in its resu lts, y e t gen erated an d p rod u ced on th e four-dem ensional p lan e— th e realm o f atom s. Q.

U nd er vuhat circumstances is hypnotism ‘ black m a g ic ' ?

Ans.

U n d er th o se ju s t d iscu ssed , b u t to co ve r th e su b ject fu lly, even

b y g iv in g a few in stan ces, d em and s m ore sp a c e th an w e can sp a re for th e se a n sw ers.

S u fficien t to sa y th a t w h en ev er th e m otive w h ich a ctu a te s

th e o p erato r is selfish, or d etrim en tal to a n y liv in g b ein g or b ein gs, all su ch a cts a re classed b y u s as b la c k m agic.

T h e h e a lth y v ita l fluid im

p a rte d b y the p h ysicia n w h o m esm erizes h is p a tien t, can an d does c u r e ; b u t too m uch o f it w ill kill. [T h is sta tem en t receive s its e x p la n a tio n in our a n sw er to Q u estion 6, w h en sh o w in g th a t th e v ib ra to ry ex p erim e n t sh a tters a tu m b ler to pieces.] Q.

I s there any difference between hypnosis produced by m echanical means, such

as revolving m irrors, and tha t produced by the direct g aze o f the operator (fascin ation ) ? A n s.

T h is

d ifferen ce is, w e

a n sw e r to Q u estion 1.

b e lie v e , a lre a d y pointed out in th e

T h e g a z e o f th e op erato r is m ore poten t, hen ce

m ore d an gerous, th a n th e sim ple m ech a n ical passes o f th e H y p n o tize r, w h o , in n ine c a se s ou t o f ten, does not k n o w h ow , an d th erefore cannot w ill. T h e stu d en ts o f E so te ric S cie n c e m ust b e a w are b y th e v e ry la w s o f th e o c c u lt corresp on d en ces th a t th e form er actio n is p erform ed on th e first p lan e o f m a tter (the low est), w h ile th e la tte r, w h ich n ecessita tes a w e ll co n cen trated w ill, has to b e en a cted , i f th e op erato r is a p rofan e n ovice, on the fo u r th , and if h e is a n y th in g o f an o c c u ltist on th e f i f t h plane. Q.

W h y should a b it o f crystal or a b rig h t button, throw one person into the

hypnotic state and affect in no way another person ?

A n A n sw er to th is would, we

th in k, solve more than one p erp lex ity . A n s.

S cie n c e h as offered sev eral va ried h y p o th ese s upon the su b ject,

b ut h a s not, so fa r, a ccep ted any one o f th ese as d efin ite. a ll such sp ecu la tio n s rev o lv e in th e

T h is is because

v icio u s circle o f m a terio -p h ysical

ph enom ena w ith th eir b lin d forces and m ech a n ical th eories.

T h e ‘ auric

fluid ’ is not recogn ised b y th e m en o f S cie n c e , and therefore, th ey reject itB u t h a v e th ey not b elieved for y e a rs in the efficacy o f metallotherapeuty, the in fluen ce o f th ese m etals b ein g due to th e action o f th e ir electric flu id s or cu rren ts on th e n ervou s system ?

A n d th is, sim p ly b ecau se an a n a lo g y w as

found to ex ist b etw een th e a c tiv ity o f th is system and e le c tr ic ity .

The

th eo ry fa iled , b ecau se it cla sh e d w ith th e m ost carefu l o b servation and e x p erim en ts.

F irst o f a ll, it w a s c o n tra d icte d b y a fu n dam en tal fa ct ex h ib ited

in the said m etallo th e ra p e u ty , w h o se c h a r a c te ristic p e cu lia rity sh o w ed (a) th a t b y no m eans e v e ry m etal a cted on e v e ry n ervou s d isease, on e p atien t b ein g sen sitive to som e one m etal, w h ile all o th ers p rod u ced no effect upon h im ; and (A) th at th e p a tien ts affected b y certa in m etals w ere fe w and ex cep tio n a l.

T h is show ed th a t ‘ elec tric fluids ’ op eratin g on an d cu rin g

diseases ex isted on ly in th e im ag in ation o f the th eorists.

H a d th e y had

a n y a ctu a l existen ce, then a ll m etals w ou ld affect in a g re a te r or lesser degree, a ll patien ts, and e v e ry m etal, taken sep a ra tely , w ou ld affect e v e ry case o f n ervou s d isease, th e con d itio n s for ge n e ra tin g such fluids being, in th e g iv en cases, p recisely th e sam e. c a te d D r. B u rk e , th e once d iscred ited

T h u s D r. C h a rc o t h a v in g v in d i d isco verer o f m etallo th e ra p e u ty ,

S h iff and oth ers d iscred ited all those w ho b elieved in e le c tric flu id s, and these seem now to be g iv en up in fa vo u r o f ‘ m olecu lar m otion,’ w h ic h now reign s su p rem e in p h ysio lo g y — fo r the tim e being, o f cou rse.

B u t n ow arises

a question : “ A r e th e rea l n atu re, b eh aviou r and con d itio n s o f ‘ m otion ’ k now n an y b etter th an ‘ fluids ’ ? ”

the n atu re, b eh a vio u r and con d itio n s

It is to b e d ou b ted .

o f the

A n y h o w O ccu ltism is a u d a c io u s enough

to m ain tain th a t elec tric or m a gn etic flu id s (the tw o b ein g re a lly id en tical) are due in their essence and origin to tha t same molecular motion, now tran sfo rm ed

into atom ic en ergy,* to w hich e v e ry oth er phenom enon in n atu re is also d ue.

In d eed , w h en th e n eedle o f a ga lva n o — or electrom eter fa ils to show a n y

oscilla tio n s d en otin g the p resen ce o f e le c tric 01 m a g n etic fluids, th is d oes not p ro v e in th e lea st th at there are none such to record ; b u t sim p ly th a t h a v in g p assed on to an oth er and h igh er p la n e o f a ctio n , th e electro m eter can no lon ger be affected by th e en ergy d isp la ye d on a p la n e w ith w h ich it is en tirely d isconn ected . T h e a b o v e had to b e exp lain ed , in order to show th a t th e n atu re o f th e F o r c e tran sm itted from one m an or o b ject to an oth er m an or o b ject, * In O c c u ltism th e w ord atom h a s a sp ecial sign ifican ce, d ifferen t from th e c n e g iv e n to it b y S cie n ce . S e e ed ito rial, Psychic a i d Xogii: Action, in th e tw o la st n u m b ers.

w h eth er in

h yp n otism , e le c tricity , m etallo th e ra p e u ty or ‘ fa scin a tio n ,’ is

the sam e in essen ce, v a r y in g o n ly in degree, and m odified a cco rd in g to th e su b -p lan e o f m atter it is a ctin g on ; o f w h ich su b -plan es, as e v e ry O c cu ltist k n ow s, there are seven on our terrestrial plane as th ere are on ev ery oth er.

•

I s Science entirely wrong in its definition o f the hypnotic phenomena ?

A n s.

It h as no defin ition, so far.

N ow if th ere is one th in g upon

w h ich O ccu ltism agrees (to a certa in d egree) w ith the la test d isco veries o f p h ysica l S cie n ce, it is th a t a ll the b od ies en dow ed w ith th e p ro p erty o f in d u cin g

and

ph enom ena, com m on.

c a llin g

forth

h a ve, th eir

m etallo th era p eu tic

and

oth er

analogou s

g rea t v a rie ty n otw ith stan d in g, one featu re in

T h e y are all the fou n tain h ead s and the gen erators o f rapid

m olecu lar o scillation s, w h ich , w h eth er th rou gh tran sm ittin g a gen ts or direct co n ta ct, com m u n icate th e m selve s to th e n ervou s sy stem , ch an gin g th ereb y the rh yth m o f n ervou s vib ra tio n s— on the sole condition, how ever, o f being w h a t is ca lled , in unison.

N o w ‘ u n is o n ’ does not a lw a y s im p ly th e sa m e

ness o f n atu re, or o f essen ce, bu t sim p ly the sam en ess o f d egree, a sim ilarity w ith rega rd to g r a v ity and a cu ten ess, and equ al p o ten tialities for in ten sity o f sound or m o tio n : a bell m a y be in unison w ith a vio lin , and a flute w ith an anim al or a hum an organ . vib ra tio n s— e sp e c ia lly in a cco rd an ce

w ith

the

M o reover, th e rate o f th e n um ber o f

an o rgan ic anim al cell or organ , ch an ges in

sta te

h ealth , and

gen eral cond ition.

H e n ce

th e cereb ra l n ervou s cen tres o f a h y p n o tic su b ject, w h ile in p erfect unison, in p o ten tial

d egree

and

essen tial

origin al a c tiv ity ,

w ith

th e

o b ject

g a ze s at, m a y y e t, o w in g to som e o rgan ic d istu rban ce, be at the g iv en m om ent a t log ger-h ead s w ith it, in resp ect to th e n um ber o f their resp e ctive vib ra tio n s.

In such case n o h y p n o tic cond ition en su es; or no unison at

a ll m a y ex ist b etw een his n ervou s cells and the cells o f the c ry s ta l or m etal he is m ade to g a z e at, in w h ich case th a t p a rticu la r o b ject can n ever h a ve an y effect upon him .

T h is a m ou n ts to sa yin g th a t to ensure su ccess in a

h y p n o tic ex p erim en t, tw o con d itio n s are re q u is ite ; (a) as e v e ry o rga n ic or ‘ in o rg an ic ’ b od y in n ature is d istin gu ish ed b y its fixed m olecu lar o sc illa tion s, it is n ecessa ry to find out w hich are those b od ies w h ich w ill a ct in unison w ith one or anoth er hum an n ervou s s y s te m ; and (A) to rem em ber th a t the m olecu lar oscillation s o f th e form er can influence the n ervou s actio n o f th e latter, on ly w h en th e rh yth m s o f th eir resp e ctive vib ra tio n s co in cid e, i.e ., w hen the n um ber o f th eir oscillation s is m ade id e n tic a l; w h ich , in the cases

o f hypn otism in d u ced b y m ech an ical m eans, is a ch ieved

th rou gh th e m edium o f th e eye. T h erefo re ,

th ou gh

th e

differen ce b etw e en

h yp n osis

produced b y

m ech a n ical m eans, and th a t in d u ced b y the d irect g a ze o f the o p erato r, p lu s his w ill, d ep en ds on the p lan e on w h ich the sam e phenom enon is produced, still th e ‘ fa scin a tin g ’ or su b d u in g agen t is created b y the sam e force at w o rk.

In the p h ysica l w orld and its m aterial p lan es, it is c alled

m o t io n

;

in th e w orld s o f m en ta lity and

m etap h ysics it is know n a s

w il l —

th e

m an y-faced m agician throu gh ou t a ll n atu re. A s th e rate o f vib ra tio n s (m olecular m otion) in m etals, w oods, crystals, e tc ., a lte rs under the effect o f h eat, cold, etc., so do th e cereb ra l m olecules ch an ge th e ir rate, in th e sam e w a y : i.e ., th eir rate is raised or low ered. A n d th is is w h at rea lly ta k e s p la ce in the phenom enon o f h yp n otism .

the case o f g a zin g , it is th e e y e — the c h ie f agen t o f th e W ill o f the a ctiv e op erato r, bu t a sla ve and traito r w hen th is W ill is d orm an t— th a t, uncon scio u sly to th e p atien t or subject, a ttu n es th e o scilla tio n s o f his cerebral n ervou s cen tre s to th e rate o f the v ib ra tio n s o f the ob ject g a z e d a t by ca tch in g the rh yth m o f th e la tter and p a ssin g it on to th e b rain .

B u t in

th e case o f d irect p a sse s, it is the W ill o f the op erato r ra d ia tin g th rou gh his eye th a t prod u ces th e requ ired unison b etw een h is w ill and th e w ill o f the person o p erated upon.

F o r , out o f tw o o b je c ts attu n ed in unison— a s tw o

chords, for in stan ce— one w ill a lw a y s b e w ea k er than th e oth er, and thus h a ve m a stery o v er the oth er an d even th e p o te n tia lity o f d estro y in g its w ea k er ‘ co-resp on d en t.'

S o tru e is th is, th at w e can ca ll upon p h ysica l

S cie n ce to corrob orate th is fa ct. han d .

T a k e th e ‘ sen sitive flam e ’ a s a c a se in

S cie n ce tells us th a t if a note b e stru ck in unison w ith th e ratio o f

th e vib ra tio n s o f th e h ea t m olecu les, th e flam es w ill respond im m ed iately to th e sound (or n ote stru ck), th at it w ill d a n ce and sin g in rh yth m w ith th e sounds.

B u t O c cu lt S cie n c e ad ds, th a t th e flam e may also be extin gu ished

if th e sound is in ten sified ( V id e ‘ Isis U n v e ile d ,’ V o l. I I . , / / . 606 a n d 607). A n o th e r proof.

T a k e a w in e -g la s s or tu m b ler o f v e ry fine an d c le a r g la ss ;

prod uce, b y strik in g it g e n tly w ith a silv e r spoon, a w ell-d eterm in ed n ote; a fter w h ich reprod u ce th e sam e n ote b y ru b b in g its rim w ith a d am p finger, and, if yo u are su ccessfu l, the g la ss w ill im m ed iately c ra c k an d be sh a tte re d .

In different to e v e r y o th er sound, th e g la ss w ill not r e s is t th e

g rea t in ten sity o f its ow n fu n dam en tal note, for th a t p a rticu la r vib ra tio n w ill cau se su ch a com m otion in its p a rticles, th a t th e w h ole fa b ric w ill fall in p ieces. Q.

W h a t becomes o f diseases cured by hypnotism ; are they really cured or a rt

they postponed, or do they appear in another fo r m ?

A r e diseases K a r m a ; an d, i f so,

is it r ig h t to attem pt to cure them ?

A ns.

H y p n o tic su g gestio n m ay cu re for ev er, and it m a y not.

A ll

d ep en ds on th e d eg ree o f m agn etic relatio n s b etw een the o p erato r an d th e p a tien t.

I f K a rm ic , th e y w ill be o n ly p ostpon ed, and retu rn in som e oth er

form , not n e c e ssa rily o f d isease, b u t as a p u n itiv e e v il o f a n oth er sort. It is a lw a y s “ righ t ” to tr y and a lle v ia te sufferin g w h en ev er w e can , a n d to do our b est for it.

B e c a u se a m an suffers ju s tly im p rison m en t, a n d

ca tch e s cold in h is d am p cell, is it a reason w h y th e p rison -do ctor sh o u ld not try to cu re him o f it ? Q.

I s it necessary that the hypnotic ‘ su ggestion s' o f the operator should be

spoken ? I s it not enough f o r him to thin k them , and may not even h e be ignorant or unconscious o f the bent he is im pressing on h is subject ?

A ns

C e rta in ly not, if the rapport b etw een the tw o is o n ce for all

firm ly estab lish ed .

T h o u g h t is m ore pow erfu l than speech in cases of

a real su b ju ga tio n o f the w ill o f the p atien t to th at o f his o p erato r.

B u t,

on the oth er hand, unless th e ‘ su ggestion ’ m ade is for the good o n ly o f the su b ject, and e n tirely free from a n y selfish m otive, a su ggestion by thought is an a ct o f black m agic still m ore pregn an t w ith ev il consequ ences

than a spoken su ggestion .

It is a lw a y s w rong and un law ful to d ep riv e a

m an o f his free-w ill, unless f o r h is own or S o ciety ’s g o o d ; form er h as to b e done w ith g rea t d iscrim in ation .

and even

the

O ccu ltism rega rd s all

such p rom iscuous a ttem p ts as b la c k m a gic and sorcery, w h eth er consciou s or oth erw ise. Q.

D o the motive and character o f the operator affect the result, immediate or

remote ?

A n s.

In so far as the hypnotizing process becomes under his operation

either white or black m agic, as the last answer shows. Q.

I s it wise to hypnotize a p a tien t not only out o f a disease, but out o f a h abit,

such as d rin k in g or ly in g ?

A n s.

It is an a ct o f c h a r ity and k in d n ess, and th is is n ext to w isdom .

F o r , a lth ou gh the d ro p p in g o f his vicio u s h a b its w ill add n oth in g to his good K a rm a (w hich it w ou ld , had h is efforts to reform been personal, o f his ow n free w ill, and n ecessita tin g a g rea t m en tal and p h y sic a l stru ggle), still a su cce ssfu l ‘ su ggestion ’ p reven ts him from ge n e ra tin g m ore bad K a rm a , and a d d in g c o n stan tly to th e p rev io u s record o f his tran sgression s. Q.

W h a t is it that a fa ith -h e a le r , when successful, practises upon h im s e lf;

w hat tricks is he p la y in g w ith h is p rin cip les and w ith h is K a r m a ?

A n s.

Im a gin atio n

a potent help in e v e ry even t o f our lives.

Im agin ation a cts on F a ith , and both are th e d rau gh tsm en w h o prep are the sk e tc h e s for W ill to en g ra v e, m ore or less d eep ly, on th e ro ck s o f o b sta c le s and op position

w ith w h ich th e p ath o f life is strew n .

Says

P a r a c e ls u s : “ F a it h m ust confirm the im agin ation , for fa ith estab lish es the w ill.

D eterm in ed w ill is the b egin n in g o f a ll m a g ica l op eration s. . . .

It is b eca u se m en do not p e rfe ctly im agin e and b e lie v e th e resu lt, th a t the arts (of m agic) are u n certain , w h ile th e y m igh t be p e rfe ctly c e rta in .” is all th e secret.

T h is

H a lf, if not tw o-th ird s o f our a ilin gs and d iseases are the

fru it o f our im agin ation and fears.

D estro y the la tte r and g iv e anoth er

bent to th e form er, and n atu re w ill do th e rest. in jurious in the m ethods p e r se.

T h e r e is n oth in g sinful or

T h e y turn to harm on ly w h en b elief in

his po w er b ecom es too a rrogan t and m arked in th e faith -h ealer, and w hen he th in k s he can w ill a w a y su ch d iseases as n eed , if th e y a re not to b e fa ta l, th e im m ed iate help o f ex p e rt su rgeons and p h ysician s.

jH tm liis anil itt&ftiiiitals. â&#x20AC;&#x153; L e t not him th a t putteth h is hand to the plough look backwards, though the p loughshare cut through the flow er o f life to its foundation s, though it pass o'er the graves o f the dead and the hearths o f the liv in g ." â&#x20AC;&#x153; H o w yo u awake the sleeping sword o f w ar ; W e charge yo u in the name o f G o d , take heed : F o r never two such K ingdom s d id contend, W ith o u t m uch f a l l o f blood ; whose gu iltless drops A re every one a woe, a sore com plaint, 'G a in st him , whose wrongs give edge unto the swords T h a t make such waste in b r ie f m o rta lity ." â&#x20AC;&#x201D; S h a k s p e a r e .

T is fa irly certain th at e v e ry m anifestation o f m atter h a s tw o asp ects, so far sep a ra te as are th e tw o sides o f a t r ia n g le ; neither o f th ese tw o

lin es can ,

itself, en close

a n y th in g ,

y et

botb tog eth er

ex p ress an

Id e a, th e y g iv e form to a T ru th ; M an sees one or oth er o f these lin es and, u n ab le to tra c e it to the clou d s, w h ere it is over-sh ad ow ed b y R e a lity , and w h ere its com panion lin e jo in s it, he w o rsh ip s it, follow s it u p, and sto u tly den ies th e ex iste n c e o f a n y oth er line, u n aw a re th a t he is th u s d estroyin g a ll p o ssib ility o f h is creatio n s h a v in g su b stan ce, or o f th eir b ein g o th erw ise th an flat and im perfect rep resen ta tio n s o f th e T r u th he w ish es to co n v ey . T h u s life a p p ears, m an ifested again and again in the fam iliar form s o f a un it and grou p s o f u n its, a sin gle cell and co m p lex organ ism , In d ivid u al and F a m ily . O b serve the fam iliar c ry sta ls w h ich o w e th eir bea u tifu l form to an ord erly arran gem en t

tin y

atom s

o f m atter,

the

d isp lacem en t

an y

w h ich w ou ld h a v e resu lted in one o f those fla w s w h ich o b scu re th e ra y s o f o th erw ise fa u ltle ss d iam onds, or m ar the p y ra m id a l form and d estroy the p o la rity o f w h a t ought to h a v e been p erfect pieces o f q u artz. S cie n tific ve rify

th eir

ob servers statem en ts,

affirm , and th e m icroscop e m ay b e m ade to th at

ea ch

su b sta n ce

w h en

u n d ergoin g

cry sta liza tio n , a different form a p p e a rs to b elon g, salt and sn ow , su g ar and sta rch , ea c h h as d istin ct and b ea u tifu l sta r sh ap es p ecu lia r to itself. A g a in it is b elieved th a t th e c e lls in ve ge tab le tissu e h ad o rig in a lly on e com m on form w h ich w a s g r a d u a lly m odified as th e stru ctu re o f th e p la n t grew m ore co m p lex .

O n e reco gn izes the p ro p riety o f th e le a f c e lls o f a

rose tree grou p in g th em selves round th e organ s o f gen eration an d se c re tin g an a ttr a c tiv e colou rin g m atter, a s w ell as d isp ersin g a su b tle sw ee t o d ou r, b u t it o ccu rs to no one, th a t the rose h a s a n y cau se o f com p lain t b e c a u se its stem rem ains th o rn y, and its b ran ch es n ever w ea r th e le a v e s o f a S p a n ish c h e s tn u t; m ore than th a t, it w ou ld be con sid ered v e ry u n rea so n a b le i f it

proposed su ch a ch a n g e and b e v e ry lik e ly told th a t the lon g b eau tifu l ch estn u t le a v e s w ould look as th o ro u g h ly out o f p la c e on a little rose tree as w ould th e sh arp th orn s o f a sw eetb ria r, if tran sferred to th e stem o f a pu rp le vio let. E x a m in a tio n o f one o f th o se low form s o f the anim al kingdom w h ose m em bers p ro p a g a te th em selves b y fission sh o w s th a t the cells m u ltip ly th em selves to rep la ce those d estroyed b y a n y ch an ce m u tilation w h ich is not fa ta l, and le a v in g asid e th eir sp ecia l fun ction, a cco m p lish th e good o f the w h o le. In th e

c a se

o f the â&#x20AC;&#x153; little lives

the leu com aines, th e prod u cers,

a cco rd in g to m odern scien ce, in hum an b ein gs o f hid eou s d iseases and death itself, it is a d isregard o f th e com m u n ity w h ich cau ses su ch ruin, as it is the absen ce o f o x y g e n in som e o f the c ells w h ich is th e im m ed iate cau se o f the m ischief, th e im p overish ed cells p re y in g on th eir fellow c ells u n til the d am ag e is irrep ara b le. E v e r y one kn ow s som eth in g of th e life h isto ry o f bees and ants. W h o h as not seen little brow n an ts c a rry in g up to th e su n ligh t th e ir big u n w ield y p u p a ch ild ren and p resen tly h au lin g them dow n a gain , solicitou s p erh a p s for th eir com p lexion s.

T h e u n ited efforts o f th e colon y are called

into p la y should one o f th eir num ber find an a p p le or oth erw ise d esirab le a rticle o f d iet w h ich he is un able to b rin g into th e com m on store room . T h e b ees also, in order to w ard o ff th e d e a th â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head m oth, on hon ey ste alin g in ten t, w ill lea v e off their hon ey g a th e rin g u n til their jo in t lab ou r has created a b arrier o f w a x past w h ich th e un w elcom e gian t can not force his w ay.

The

poor

m uch

m align ed

w a sp s

w ork in con cert to build

w on derful p a p er-lik e nest or an underground ch am b er in w h ich th e com m on fam ily is reared . W ith o u t search in g th e record s o f th e n atu ralist, w ith ou t w a n d erin g in th e d ep th s o f prim aeval forests, th e sam e b e found am ongst birds.

in stin cts o f citizen sh ip can

W a n d e r a cro ss the fields w hen the h a rv est is

golden and ob serve the so lita ry w ood pigeon a rc h in g his rain bow -tin ted n eck in th e su n ligh t or sw a y in g b a c k w a rd s and fo rw ard s on th e top m ost b ra n ch o f som e ta ll fir - tr e e ; h e is th e sen tin el o f the w a tch set b y a flo ck o f p e rh a p s th irty or fo rty rin g-d oves, w ho are fea stin g rig h t m errily in a n eigh b o u rin g w h eat field.

T h r o w a hand fu l o f broken b read on a snow-

co ve re d gard en p a th ; on ly tw o b ird s are in sigh t, a d u ll-eyed sp arro w w ith fea th ers fluffed out to p rotect his feet from th e p ie rcin g cold , and a sta rlin g perch ed h igh up on a leafless p o p lar t r e e ; th ey h a ve flow n a w a y , sca red p e rh a p s b y th e scattered fragm en ts ?

P erh ap s!

B u t in less than

five m inutes th ere are tw e n ty starlin gs and a dozen sp arro w s p eck in g in the sn ow w h ere the cru m b s fell.

A ll throu gh the sp rin g tim e, th e sta rlin gs fly

in gro u p s to look for food or g a th e r in the ev en in g for som e con certed m usic. M ost o f the other b ird grou p s b re a k up in the sp rin g t im e : th e in stin ct for p ro p a g a tin g their sp ecies h as overtak en th em , and as w ith m en, it has the

p o w er o f a w a k e n in g je a lo u sy and suspicion , a n d o f sep a ra tin g in d ivid u als from th eir fellow s.

W ith b ird s, h ow ever, th is o b ta in s o n ly d u rin g five or six

m on ths o f th e y e a r. •

S w a llo w s n ever seem to lose the h a b it o f a ssociatio n ; th e ir n ests are b u ilt close togeth er, th e y rep air to com m on h u n tin g grou n d s and m ake com m on cau se in trou b le a n d d a n g er.

S h o u ld som e h alf-fin ish ed nest fall

to the grou n d it is soon rep la ce d b y the jo in t efforts o f m an y sw a llo w s.

is record ed on a u th o rity th a t an in tru d in g sp a rro w , w h ich took possession o f th e n e w ly com p leted nest o f a house-m artin, w a s b u ilt up in its self sele cted tom b b y th e w h ole com m u n ity o f sw a llo w s, w h en th e rep eated efforts o f th e rig h tfu l ow n er fa iled to eject it. It w ou ld be u se le ss to go throu gh a ll th e vo lu m es o f N a tu ra l H isto ry con tain ed on the lib ra ry s h e lv e s ; e v e ry one w ill from personal exp erien ce a d d to the fa cts offered.

T h is shou ld g o far to co n v in ce fair-m inded folk

th a t, th o u gh often d iverted from its course or h a lf overw h elm ed b y the b ru te force through w h ich it w orks, a stron g feelin g or in stin ct o f associatio n , o f co-operation , sy m p a th y au d u n ity, p erm eates th e k in g d o m s o f n atu re b elow m an.

A n d a b o v e him ?

It is im p ossible to d escrib e th e cou rse

through w h ich h a s flow ed the “ T id e o f L if e ” sin ce it first reach ed the v isib le b ou n d ary o f the u n fath om ed m y stery .

P o e ts an d d ream ers in a ll

lan d s and in a ll a ges h a v e tried to clo th e it in w o rd s and failed .

But

search in the ea rliest record s o f a n y g rea t religion , it rev e a ls glim p ses o f tw o beliefs, b eliefs m ore o r less c le a r ly exp ressed . T h e one tells o f cou n tless gro u p s o f in telligen ces, a b o v e and b eyon d m an, w o rk in g in con cert to accom p lish the in e v ita b le la w .

T h e m o tiv e po w er in

these b ein g s a p p e a rs som etim es a s the creato r, a ga in a s th e p reserv er or d estroyer, b u t a lw a y s as S p irit,

the un iq ue, c o n jo in tly w ith m ultiform

m atter, th e dual a sp e ct o f T h a t w h ich I S . T h e oth er h in ts o f little know n sch o o ls o f w ise m en, b roth erh ood s in w h ich the in d iv id u a l sa crifices h im se lf w illin g ly for the w elfare o f th e m u ltitu d e, and in w h ich th e a d va n cem en t o f ea ch is sou gh t b y a ll.

N ow

a n d a g a in a v o ice from these in v isib le B ro th e rs rea ch e s hum an h ea rin g . A g rea t te ach er h a s com e forth , an d sta n d in g am id st the sons o f m en, rem ind s them o f th e ir form er glo ry , o f the h e ig h ts to w h ich th e y m u st turn th eir fa ce s and sc a lin g them w in a ga in th eir h erita ge, if th e y w ou ld not sin k b a ck and dow n sem i-livin g b r u t e s ; w a rn s them o f th a t ch a n g e w h ich m ust o v e rta k e and d estro y even th e m ost la stin g o f th e ir ev a n e sc e n t treasu res, or p ity in g ly com m an ds t h e m :

“ I sa y unto y o u , lo ve y o u r

en em ies, do go od to those th a t h a te you , v isit th e prison ers, o u tca sts, orphans, ju d g e not, an d be y e m ercifu l, bu t b eyo n d a ll, th rou gh a ll, lo v e w ith y o u r w hole h earts, serve w ith a ll y o u r stren gth , seek w ith e v e r y b reath , th e G o d o f w h ose p resen ce w ith in y o u a re d im ly a w a r e .”

W it h

no u n certain sound com e the vo ice s o f th ese g rea t T e a c h e r s :

“ The

kingdom o f h ea ven is lik e u n to a p earl o f g rea t p rice w h ich a m an h a v in g

found go eth stra ig h tw a y and selleth a ll th a t he h a th and b u yeth it. is m y com m an d m en t th at y e lo ve on e an oth er.

T h is

H e m y servan t is d ear

unto m e, w h o is free from en m ity, w h o is th e friend o f all n atu re, m ercifu l, ex em p t from pride and selfish n ess, the sam e in pain and p leasu re, p a tien t o f w ro n g s, con ten ted , c o n stan tly d ev o u t, o f su b d u ed passion s, and firm resolves, and w h ose m ind and u n d erstan d in g are fixed on m e a lo n e .” T h e r e is no w a v e r in g or d ou b tfu l sound in these sen ten ces, far into the n ig h t one m ight lin g er q u otin g lik e p a ssa g e s, or m an y w h ich in cu lcate d ire ctly or in d ire c tly th e U n ity w h ich u n derlies a ll th in gs and th e deeprooted b rotherhood o f m en.

O n ev eryo n e’s lip s to -d a y are th e w ord s

socialism and hum an rig h ts, alm ost ev eryo n e h as a n ew rem ed y to propose for th e seeth in g, w ell-n ig h d esp erate cond ition o f E u ro p e.

T h is condition

has b een m ain ly b rou gh t abou t b y Ig n o ra n ce rega rd in g, or w ilfu l n eglect of, th e g rea t la w s w h ich go vern F a m ilie s and In d iv id u a ls ; m en h a v e seen one side o n ly o f th e trian gle.

In In d ia th e ca stes glorified the rig h ts o f

fa m ily , and d u rin g m an y d ecad es p c a c e and ju s tic e flo u r is h e d ; b ut, lik e all h a lf-tru th s, th is system had to p erish , one am ongst its resu lta n t evils b ein g th e la c k o f resp o n sib le in d iv id u a ls.

In C o rsica and w ith th e S co ttish

cla n s th is e x c lu siv e feelin g o f fa m ily sa n c tity w as p ro d u ctiv e o f m uch e v il, m urder w a s don e again and a ga in to a v e n g e the d eath o f a k in sm an , even to w ip e out a fan cied insu lt. T o -d a y in th e 19th cen tu ry , in E u ro p e and in its c h ild , A m e rica , men b o w before th e g rea t Id ol th e y h a ve set up and c ry “ G rea t A lo n e is the In d iv id u a l.

T o him alone w e ow e a u g h t;”

M a zzin i, the Ita lia n , w arn s his co u n trym en th at ev il w ill q u ick ly o v erta k e th o se w h o prate o f rig h ts, and fo rget th a t th e f i r s t r ig h t o f m ankind is to do h is d uty.

W h ere?

T h e E n g lis h P ra y e r-b o o k sa y s : “ In th a t sta te o f L ife

unto w h ich it shall p lease G o d to c a ll m e.” d u ty , not a n o th er's."

B h a g a v a t s a y s : “ O u r ow n

T h e T h e o so p h ist s a y s : “ A ll th e d u ties w h ich a re ours

a s in h ab itan ts o f a co u n try, as m em bers o f a fa m ily , as m en and w om en, k n o w in g th a t they are those sele cted b y p a st a ctio n .” T h e F re n c h revolu tion co n tain s an a w fu l w arn in g o f the crim es into w h ic h m en and n ations ru sh w hen th eir b a ttle c ry i s :

“ My

R ig h ts !”

“ A b solu tio n from all d u tie s ! ” N o form o f so cia lism or com m u nism can last w h ich ign ores the grou p in g o f m en into fam ilies, o f fam ilies in to sta te s, sta tes into n ations, and nations in to a g rea t solid broth erh ood o f H u m a n ity .

It is o n ly n ec essa ry to stu d y

th e cond ition o f th e em a n cip a ted sla v e s o f th e W e s t In d ies to becom e con v in c e d th a t a revo lu tion , w h eth er a ccom p an ied w ith bloodshed or not, w ill n e v e r con d u ce to th e u p w a rd p rogress o f m en.

It w as o n ce said th a t no

g re a te r p un ishm en t cou ld be laid on a v e r a g e h u m a n ity, th an to tran sfer it u n ch a n g ed , to the d w ellin g -p lace o f G o d , th e re to spend etern ity in praise a n d w orsh ip ; and y e t th is h ea v en is th e hop e o f m en in all cou n tries.

Is it

n o t ev id en t th a t no L e a d e r w h o ta u g h t m en to asp ire, ev er b elieved th at

th e y cou ld reach the d w ellin g -p lace o f the G o d s before p assin g throu gh the fire w hich tran sm u tes b ase m etal into go ld ?

A re the m en o f to -d a y so

m uch w iser th an them o f old tim e th a t th e y d are conten d th at th e y h a ve the pow er to m ake o f m en sa in ts and heroes b y rob in g them in w h ite , or cro w n in g them w ith b a y le a v e s ?

If th is w ere tru e, th e fortu n es of th e

flax-sp in n er and th e ga rla n d -w e a v er w ou ld h a v e been m ade lon g ago. B ra h m a -V is h n u -S iv a , the personified L ife and F o rce , w a s a lw a y s th reeÂ fold, creato r, p reserver an d d e s tr o y e r ; th o se m en are b lin d w ho w ould d istu rb th is order o f w o r k in g ; it is n ecessa ry to cre a te in th o se w ho are le d â&#x20AC;&#x201D; eith er for go od or e v il, w h eth er b y w illin g and w ise lea d ers, or b y m en w h o rem ain w ilfu lly ign oran t o f th eir resp o n sib ility ,â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in those w ho are led it is n ecessary to cre a te a lo ve o f d u ty , o f w isdom , o f self-sacrifice, before d a rin g to confer on them p o w er, freedom and self-govern m en t.

M en can

o n ly cre ate a q u a lity in oth ers b y c a llin g it to a c tiv e life in th e m selve s.

h a s b ecom e a need also to p rese rv e, not hares and ph easan ts, but a ll that w h ich is good and noble, w hich co n d u ces to hum an p erfectn ess, w hich raises men ov er th e b ru tes, and refines the vessel w h ich holds the sp a rk o f h eaven -lit fire.

T h e s e treasu res w ill not be p reserv ed b y men w h o h a ve

not learn t th eir v a l u e ; d estru ction is n ecessa ry , but men su rely do not desire a c a ta c ly sm or a d elu g e ; it is better to pu ll dow n prison w a lls than to b lo w them up w ith d y n a m ite, and bu ild w ith them sh elters for m en, in stead o f p rod u cin g a h ea p o f ru in s in w hich w ild b ea sts m ake their dens. A re men blin d and d e a f and sen seless th at th ey p e rceiv e no w a rn in g in the m u tilated sta tu es of A n cie n t G re e c e ?

D o th e bu rn t lib raries o f A le x a n Â

d ria, the sacred p a lm -le a v es b la zin g under sold iers' h alf-coo ked rations in In d ia, or th e riv ers o f blood w h ich flow ed in P a r is th e b eau tifu l, ju s t 100 y e a rs ago, te ach them n oth in g ? T h e T h e o so p h ist ou ght to k n o w th at a ll tru e reform b egin s o ver-h ead ; he kn ow s th a t m en are lin ks in a ch ain .

T h a t as w a ter finds its lev el, so

from a b o v e com es to m en a ll th a t is w orth h a v in g , in proportion to th e readin ess w ith w h ich th ey let th eir stores flow d o w n w ard s.

T h e o so p h ists

w ill h a v e to be ta u g h t to see th a t m an is not alone h is ow n c re a to r bu t also the accu m u latio n o f h is ow n su rro u n d in gs.

W h a t folly then to w a ste

p reciou s y e a rs in tr y in g to force la w s into a h o tb e d -g ro w th , to force a d istribution o f m aterial th in gs.

R a ise, ed u cate, h u m a n ize the m en, and

un just la w s w ill die o u t ; show b y th e exam ple o f a p p reciatio n w h a t th in g s are o f perm anent va lu e and b e a u ty , and a m ore d ea d ly b low w ill h a v e been d ealt th e w orld o f sham s than w a s e v e r stru ck b y the gu illotin e. T w o g rea t p rin cip les ou ght to be the m ovin g sp rin g o f fa m ilies and in d iv id u a ls in th eir m utual relatio n s, v iz ., th eir d u ty to those o f w h om th e y are th e head, and th eir d u ty to those la rg e r gro u p s o f w hich th e y are un its. It o u gh t to be the c a re , reco gn ized and fu lfilled , o f e v e ry fa m ily to foster the d evelop m en t o f each o f its m em bers, to p rovid e for its n eed s and its a d va n cem en t to a m ore responsible position as soon as sufficient p ro g re ss

h as been m ade ; bu t no less shou ld ea ch m em ber o f a grou p sink his in d iv id u a lity in his m em b ersh ip , n ever losin g sig h t o f th e fa ct th a t he is o f im p ortan ce o n ly in so fa r a s he is a useful m em ber o f h is ow n fam ily, and th a t h is am bition o u g h t to beâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to m ake th a t fa m ily a u n it o f m ore va lu e to the S ta te .

H is ow n ed u ca tio n , in a ll sen ses o f th a t w ord , ou ght to

trou b le him on ly in so far as th e m ore com m an d h e ga in s over th e pow ers o f n ature, focussed in h im self, so m uch th e b etter w ill h e be a b le to a d va n ce th e w elfa re o f his b od y p o lit ic : he w ill no lon ger be a â&#x20AC;&#x2122;p ren tice h and, but w ill p a ss th rou gh the v a rio u s gra d es, un til th e stone-m ason b ecom es a scu lp to r, or th e a gricu ltu rist a statesm an .

N o t even a cu rso ry g la n c e is

needed to co n v in ce m ind s th a t these q u a lities o f altru ism and im personal am bition are alm ost w h o lly w a n tin g in th e c iv ilize d W e s t in th is our cen tu ry .

A re our sta te s, in stitu tion s, co lleges, and trad e s go vern ed b y the

desire to a d v a n c e as far as po ssib le th e w ell-b e in g o f th e un its com po sin g them ?

D o these u n its m ake serious and co n scien tio u s efforts to profit b y

the m odes o f im p rovem en ts open to them , and to a d v a n c e th e u tility o f the institution

b y w h ich th e y liv e ?

A n d n eve r can

th ese p rin cip les be

recogn ised as tru e b y S ta te or co llege, w h ile th e sp irit o f irreveren ce and selfish d isregard for oth ers is u n ch eck ed , w h ile old age is trea ted w ith disresp ect, and ea c h m em ber o f a fa m ily tries to push his own in terests, to start w ell eq u ip p ed , ca re le ss i f h is am bition has u n d u ly p in ch ed those less stron g than him self.

W h ile ch ild ren are p erm itted to g ro w up w ith ou t

the sp irit o f religion , w ith ou t a d u e sense o f their resp o n sib ility to th eir co u n try, and to th o se s o c ia lly and b y n ecessity th eir inferiors, it w ill be u seless to hope for the atta in m en t of excellence, as w ise m en m easu re it. T h e r e is y et another reason w h y T h e o so p h ists o u gh t to be prepared for failu re.

In sea rch in g for p a ra llel c a se s am on gst fam ilies, th e y c a n

s c a r c e ly fail to o b serve th a t it is not th e sam e m em bers o f a fa m ily w ho w ork and w ho en jo y life th o ro u g h ly .

In som e fa m ilies th e Id eal is so far

N a tu ra l, th a t the little ch ild ren sport in u n con strain ed h a p p in e ss; th ose m em b ers w h o h a v e a tta in ed ad o lescen ce w ork, and find in ren ew ed w ork th eir recrea tio n , w h ile in stru ction com es from those w ho h a ve gro w n old in lab o u rin g for the oth ers, w h ose p a ssio n s h a v e bu rn t ou t and w hose eyes are c le a r and fea rless. M ore com m on ly far, h o w ever, one finds in fam ilies th e sam e in e q u a lity w h ich p re v a ils at present in th e la rg e r w o r ld ; all th eir liv e s som e o f the m em bers toil and toil to prod u ce con d itio n s fa vo u ra b le to pleasu re, but th e y can n o t, ev en if lib e rty o f a ctio n and leisu re be th e irs,â&#x20AC;&#x201D; th e y can n o t a tta in th a t cond ition o f b u o y a n cy w ith o u t w h ich p leasu re is a m o c k e r y ; w h ile th e ir b rothers and sisters, often th e ir sen iors, as m en cou nt age, w ill not w ork ex cep t on sev ere com pu lsion and w ill retu rn lig h t-h e a rte d ly to their g a m es as soon as the h a ted task is done.

In the fa m ily som e n ever

regard w ork as a d u ty , nor feel d egrad ed w hen served b y o th ers, nor do those w h o serve lose self-resp ect or the sense o f freedom w h en p roferrin g

service.

A ll th is is p e rfe ctly n a tu ra l, the p a irs o f op p osites are a n ecessity

o f th e p resen t cond ition o f k n o w led g e, a ll ex p erie n ce h a s to be gain ed and can not all be gain ed sim u ltan eou sly, n oth in g w ill ev er a lter m en but th e b urn in g b rig h ter or m ore fee b ly o f the lig h t w ith in .

N o th in g is rea lly

o f use w h ich d oes not tend d ire ctly or in d ire c tly to in crea se th a t ligh t, and n oth in g is v a lu eless w h ich serves to p ro te ct it, or cle a n se th e v a se in w h ich it is con cealed . T h o s e w h o lo ve tru th w ill h a v e a lon g h ard figh t before ign oran ce and illusion are conquered.

T h erefo re it is w ell to a tta c k real foes on ly, so th at

no stren gth n eed be w a sted and no offence u n n ecessarily g iv e n .

T r u th -

lo v e rs clin g to th e w a tch w o rd s L ib e r ty , E q u a lity , and F ra te rn ity ; let them retain these w a tch w o rd s b u t let them n ever be a ccu sed o f fa lsify in g them . L ib e r ty !

D a re m en d eg ra d e the n am e o f freedom b y ta k in g sw ord s and

cannon, and, w h ile p itch in g sh ells into th e houses o f th e ir fellow -m en, or sta b b in g them to the d eath, in vok e the aid o f L ib e r t y ?

D a re m en offer

w in e to a possible d ru n k ard , or line stree ts w ith a le houses, sa y in g th a t in a free co u n try m an h a s a rig h t to d estro y h im self and h is d escen d an ts, should h e le a v e a n y , b y im b ib in g alcoh o l, and y e t d en y him th e righ t to sp rin g o ff W estm in ster B rid g e , or p la ce a revo lv er a g a in st his te m p les? E q u a lity !

A n yo u w ill, let ch ild ren h ave an eq u al ed u cation ; let stron g

men share the burden o f w ork or risk losin g the esteem o f those w h o se resp ect th e y v a lu e ; let the w om en o f our cou n try, w h eth er th ey are o f th e so cia lly h igh er or o f th e hu m b ler, a y e the low est cla sse s, receiv e eq u al respect a s w om en, tho u gh w e can not g iv e to earnest and friv o lo u s eq u a l va lu e a s m em bers o f the g rea t hum an fa m ily .

F ra te rn ity !

N o one su rely

ca lls it an a ct o f b rotherhood to le a v e little ch ildren u n gu ard ed in a c o n fectio n er’s or d ru g g is t’s shop, or a saw -m ill ? T h in g s m ove to a ll a p p e ara n ce in c y c l e s ; w hen m en w ere first d riven out o f E d e n th e y had to toil, or d i e ; w h en th e w h ee l o f birth rea ch ed a point still low er, th e stron g com pelled those less po w erfu l to toil, w h ile th e y th em selves exp lo red th e regions o f m ind.

’1 h ey now p a y th e p e n a lty : for,

h a v in g d iscovered the un ity o f m en, a resistless po w er im p els them to toil cea selessly to p rocu re for oth ers a p a ssa g e into th a t tem ple w h ose v e il w a s rent b efore them .

T o -d a y c u ltiv a te d m en and w om en a re toilin g w ith head

and h an d s for no rew ard bu t the k n o w led g e th at oth ers w ill th in k them fools, but for th e c e rta in ty also th a t th ey are d oin g righ t. T w o m o tiv es on ly seem stron g en ou gh to b ear the strain put upon them b y th e con test w ith e v il— L o v e and D u ty .

Men can , and do d en y th e m

se lv e s m uch lu x u ry , h ap p in ess, even life itself, for th e sa k e o f th o se th e y love.

T h e y w ill p e rse ve re in d estro yin g a ll fa u lts w h ich th e a w ak en ed sen se

o f d u ty cond em ns a s in ju riou s to th e ir ch ild ren , those w ith w hom th e y are in co n ta ct, or th eir race.

L o v e and D u ty .

T h e s e are th e k e y s w h ich g r e a t

te ach ers h a v e e v e r p laced in th e h and s o f a v e ra g e h u m a n ity, and the g a te w h ich th e y open is the g a te o f th e gard en w h ich h a s in its cen tre th e tr e e o f K n o w led ge and o f L ife .

G . A . H . J o h n s t o n , F .T .S .

% Bream aitit its Interpretatimr: % Dtalujjttt. FiRSt F . T . S .— W h a t you tell me is very curious. Six months ago and you would have laughed to scorn the idea that there was anything in psychism but madness or indigestion, yet now— S econd F . T . S . — A y e , n ow I h a v e d iscovered th a t I m y s e lf am p s y c h ic ; at least I h a v e had exp erien ce, w h ich w ou ld lead m e to suppose s o ! N on sen se!

In d ig e s tio n !

I am n ever troubled w ith it. C ran iu m poorly fu r n is h e d ! P erh ap s, b u t as craniu m s go ’tis w ell enough. T h en yo u a re m ad. So are w e all, and th o se the m addest w h o thin k th em selves the sanest. Y o u are fly in g in th e fa ce o f all a u th o rity .

It h as been d efin itely

settled th a t a th eosop h ist and esp ecially a p sych ic, m ust be one (or all) o f three thin gs. H em ! w h a t are th e y ? H e m ust be ill, a fool, or m ad.

O ! I b e g y ou r pardon, th ere is a fou rth

th in g he can be : a k n a ve . Ill,

fool, m ad, or k n a v e !

A p retty q u a rtette and 'tis hard to d ecid e

w h ich is th e m ost co m p lim en ta ry ep ith et o f th e four. O r w h ich o f rig h t b elon gs to yo u ! To m e! Y e s , a re yo u not a T h eo so p h ist ? And you ? L ik e w is e , b u t I am

not a p s y c h ic .

You

are

b oth

p sy c h ic and

th eosop h ist and co n seq u en tly d o u b ly dam n ed . In d eed ! I h a ve it on good a u th o rity , W e l l ! w e l l ! y o u see I am resign ed .

B u t a tru ce to je s ts ! Is it not

sin g u la r th a t th is sen sitiv en e ss o f m ine to th in g s o f another p la n e, should h a v e com e upon m e so su d d en ly and as it w ere, u n ask ed for, and to me, an u n rom an tic, sc e p tic a l m a terialist. M a te ria list no lon ger. T r u e , I h a v e been forced to see th e error o f m y w a y s, b u t can yo u ex p la in th e a n om aly ? N o a n o m a ly, and e a sily exp lain ed . from y o u r b irth .

Y o u w ere p s y c h ic a lly sen sitive

Y o u g a in ed the g ift— a tw o-ed ged sw ord b y-th e-b ye—

in som e form er in ca rn atio n .

T h e last p ro b a b ly .

S tr a n g e th a t for tw e n ty y e a rs I n eve r k n e w it, and n ow I can not, do w h a t I w ill, forget it or b e u n con sciou s o f it.

D u rin g th o se tw e n ty y e a rs it w a s laten t, b u ried under a thin veneer o f m aterialism and p o sitiven ess.

T h a t ven eer w orn a w a y and it a w ak es

into a c tiv ity . B u t w h at a w o k e it ? I w ill tell y o u .

Y o u b ecam e acq u ain ted w ith m e ; throu gh m e w ith

T h eo so p h y, and th e la tter set w o rk in g th e m y stical elem en ts in y ou r ow n n atu re w h ich respond ed irresistib ly , an d in sp ite o f y o u r

in tellectu al

preju d ices, to th e to u ch o f a k in d red stim u lu s.

Y o u are not alon e.

M an y

a re those w h o h a v e join ed the T h eo so p h ica l

S o c ie ty , or w h o h a ve not

join ed the S o c ie ty bu t h a v e m ade a cq u a in ta n ce w ith its literatu re , w ho th rou gh th a t con n ection h a v e d isco vered u n d ream t-of q u alities or g ifts, upon the m y stica l or eso teric side o f th eir n atu res.

S o w ith y o u .

I h a ve had som e stran g e d ream s la te ly , w h ich h a ve cau sed m e a good d eal o f th in k in g in order to ex p la in to m y self their m eanin g, for m ean in g o f som e kind I am con vin ced th e y h a ve .

T h e y w ere not ord in ary dream s,

tho u gh I should b e p u zzled how else to define them .

T h e y w ere rem ark Â

a b ly rea listic, far m ore real and v iv id even in m y recollectio n th an the o b jects I see aroun d m e at present for in stan ce.

I w on d er if you c a n help

m e to in terp ret them , you c e rta in ly ought to b e a b le to do so, i f a n y b o d y can . I dou bt th a t, m y in tu itio n a l p o w ers b eing, I am so rry to sa y , o f th e fe e b le s t; b u t w h at m akes yo u h a ve th at im pression ? S im p ly this.

I dream t I sa w , or rath er I d id seeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; y o u ;

in fa ct yo u

d om inated a series o f three visio n s I h a v e had, w h ich a p p e ar to b e m u tu a lly ex p la n a to ry o f ea ch oth er if one o n ly h ad the k e y to th eir sy m b o lo g y . T h e y w ere sym b o lic then ? I ju d g e so. V e r y lik e ly .

P s y c h ic m essages a re often g iv en in d irectly b y aid o f

sym b o ls a s e v e r y m edium is a w a re. T e ll me, h a ve y o u ever influenced m e p s y c h ic a lly and w a s it re a lly yo u w hom I sa w in y o u r astral b od y ? I k n ow not.

should im agine th at it cou ld b e m yself.

A s for

in flu en cin g you co n scio u sly, I w ou ld not do it on a n y a c c o u n t: it w o u ld b e so rcery, m y friend. B u t I sa w you , it w a s you , and n obo d y b u t you. H um ! H eavens !

the fellow is sc e p tica l, on w h a t he h im self h as elo q u en tly

and u n an sw erab ly proved to b e possible m an y a tim e in m y hearin g. I

w a s the scep tic.

that it is.

W e h a v e ch an ge d roles.

T hen

It is odiou s con d u ct in y o u ,

I p e rceiv e th a t it w ou ld b e u seless to relate to yo u w h a t I h a v e

b oth seen and heard in the lan d o f sh a d o w s and o f d ream s. h ave b e lie v e d it. N o t so fa st, please.

I cou ld not

I do not doubt th a t the in cid en t o f y o u r d ream s

a c tu a lly too k p la ce on th e a stra l plane, and th a t th e y h a v e an o c c u lt

m eanin g, w o rth d ig g in g f o r ; but I do d ou b t th a t yo u sa w m y astral b o d y. S u ch an o ccu rren ce w ou ld be possible, but m ost im probable. I f not y o u , w hom did I see then ? M y im a g e ! H ow ? M y silh o u e tte and y ou rs and e v e r y b o d y ’s, liv in g or d ead , is in d elib ly im printed upon th e a stra l lig h t, th ere to be seen b y a n y c la irv o y a n t w ho h ap p en s to com e acro ss it.

I f the c la irv o y a n t k n o w s no b etter he ta k es

th e sh a d o w for an apparition o f th e in d iv id u a l him self. B u t you m oved , lived , n a y , you sp oke to m e ! C ou ld a silh ou ette, as y ou ca ll it, do th a t ? N o t o f itself, bu t te m p o rarily sa tu rated w ith a portion o f y o u r life p rin cip le it m ight. B u t th e life p rin cip le is not in tellig en t and yo u had in tellig en ce o f th e h igh est ord er w ritten on y o u r fa ce, y h e n yo u th u s ap p eared before m e. Y o u m igh t h a v e been a G o d . P re c is e ly .

Y o u r H ig h e r E g o it m ight h a v e been, w h ich y o u un con

scio u sly clo th ed w ith m y o u tw a rd sem b lan ce, fin d in g m y p o rtra it for th at p urp o se in the astral lig h t or in y o u r w a k in g recollectio n o f me. I am in cred u lou s. It h a s been sc ie n tifica lly p roved th a t the tw o h a lv e s o f th e b rain m ay w ork in d ep en d en tly o f one an other, and even h old a (m ental) d ialogu e a s i f b elo n g in g to tw o sep a ra te bod ies.

T h is o ccu rs in certain d isea ses

d u rin g w h ich th e patien t feels h im self to b e som ebody else, w ho is not h im se lf at a ll.

In you r c a se th e one h a lf o f th e b rain w o u ld be you , th e

oth er h a lf b e in g en ga ged m ean w h ile in p ro jectin g y ou r alter-ego on the a stra l lig h t, and d ressin g it u p w ith th e

figure an d featu res o f y o u r

h u m b le serva n t. A n d th a t is th e w h ole ex p la n a tio n , is it ? I do not sa y so, but it is my ex p la n a tio n o f th e m atter. ’ T is ingen ious, but v a g u e ! B e c a u se the f u l l exp la n a tion cou ld not b e g iv en to yo u or the w orld, su p p o sin g th a t I k n e w it. W hy? It w ou ld in v o lv e th e

revela tion o f sev era l d eta ils, resp e ctin g

the

m ode o f actio n an d in teraction o f th e seven hum an p rin cip les w h ich are a n d w ill rem ain , secret. B u t I h a v e not y e t told you m y dream s. •

I am listen in g. Y o u w ill p la y th e .<Edipus for me and ex p la in m e th e r id d le , w ill

you not ? I f I can , and if it is w orth ex p ou n d in g. Y o u sh a ll h ear. A m om ent.

I dream t th a t y o u stood in front o f me—

H o w d id I look ?

A s y o u a re n ow , b u t m ore b rillia n t, m ore m a je stic. and m en ta lly com m an d ed m e to follow y o u . found m e.

m y self in A

th ic k

d ark n ess.

I ob eyed , an d im m ed iately

grop ed

for

som eth in g

to gu id e

h an d — y o u r h and — w a s p laced in m ine, and I felt a m agn etic

th rill p a ss th rou gh m e at y o u r to u ch . stone.

Y o u sm iled,

S u d d en ly , I stu m b led a ga in st a

It w a s th e first o f a w in d in g sta irc a se w h ich , still h o ld in g you r

hand , I com m en ced to m ount. w ou ld n eve r end.

U p and u p !

I th o u gh t th e sta irca se

E v e r y n ow and then I fell, or rath er, shou ld h a ve

fallen, h ad yo u not p u lled m e into b a la n c e a ga in .

It w a s p itch d a rk .

w a s g e ttin g frig h tfu lly tired , an d rea d y to sin k and die from sh eer w e a ri n ess on th e stones, w hen w e rea ch ed the top .

It w a s d a rk there too, but

a ll w ea rin ess fell from m e as i f b y m a g ic.

G r a d u a lly a dim h alf-ligh t

c re p t ov er us an d show ed m e th a t w e w ere in a n arrow , tortu ou s passage, through w h ich — y o u let go m y hand at th e top o f the stairs— w e thread ed our w a y som ew h at q u ic k ly , y o u lea d in g , and o cca sio n a lly g la n c in g b a c k at m e w ith an en co u ra g in g sm ile.

P re s e n tly , you tu rn ed o ff to th e righ t,

through a door, and into a ch am b er.

I follow ed .

w a s o b lo n g in sh a p e and v e ry lo fty .

O p p o site the door, in the oth er w a ll

T h e room I had entered

o f th e ch am b er, w ere a co u p le o f larg e w ind ow s, th rou gh w h ich I cou ld see a flee cy ex p an se o f sk y .

T h e r e w a s an im m en se firep lace in the room , in

w h ich w a s b la z in g an eq u a lly im m en se fire. one ex cep tio n . th e w in d o w s. ta b le .

It w a s b are o f fu rn itu re w ith

T h is w a s a m a ssive m a rb le ta b le , situ a ted d ire c tly under W h e n I en tered , y o u h a d a lre a d y p la ce d y o u rse lf b y this

Y o u g la n c e d and sm iled a t m e, and then g a z e d fix e d ly a t th ree

o b je c ts upon th e ta b le .

I a p p ro a ch ed th em , and sa w th a t th e y w ere a

sk u ll, a d irty w h ite w ooden cross, and a sta tu e tte, a p p a ren tly o f go ld .

looked a t you for an e x p la n a tio n o f th e m y stery , b u t y o u con tin u ed g a z in g ste ad ily a t the ta b le and a t th e o b jects upon it. y o u g la n ced m ore p a rtic u la rly a t one. in sta n tly w h at y o u w a n ted m e to do.

I sa y at th e o b jects, bu t

It w a s the sk u ll.

I u n derstood

I took it u p in m y h an d s.

lifted y o u r eyes from th e ta b le and stared m ea n in gly into th e fire.

You

A g a in I

un derstood , and th rew the g h a s tly em blem o f m o rta lity into th e cen tre o f the flam es.

Y o u r ey es im m ed iately reverted to th e tab le, and set them

in ten tly upon the cross.

I rep eated w h a t I had done w ith the sk u ll and

th rew th a t into th e flam es also.

N o w you r e y es covered the statuette.

seized it and w a s ju s t on th e po in t o f sen d in g it a fte r the sk u ll and the cross, w h en — W h y do yo u pau se ? Im a g in e m y su rp rise on fin d in g th a t I h eld in m y h an d s, a m ost b e a u tifu lly c a rv e d golden im ag e o f m yself. h a d cast th e tw o form er o b jects

into

M y s e lf in

th e fire

sh in in g g o l d !

w ith o u t

com pu n ction ,

in d eed I w a s rath er g la d to see them b u rn , b u t th is I w a s rath er lo th to let go .

It w a s so p re tty th a t it seem ed a sa crile g e to drop it into the fire.

I w ish ed to k eep it.

1 looked fu ll in y o u r fa ce a sk in g yo u if I m igh t, but

I w a s startled a t th e rigid stern n ess o f y ou r featu res. th rew th e sta tu e tte at on ce into th e flam es. you rs.

W h a t a tra n sfo rm a tio n !

I w a s trou bled , and

O n ce m ore I lifted m y eyes to

Y o u w ere sm ilin g in stead o f frow ning,

sm iling a s an gels m ust sm ile, and th e rad ia n ce o f th a t sm ile pierced like a shaft o f glo riou s lig h t throu gh the d ark n ess o f m y sou l. m om ent.

It w a s bu t for a

T h e n ext in stan t you , th e ta b le , th e ch am b er, ev eryth in g had

van ish ed and I w a s a w a k e !

Y e t I can sa y w ith B y ro n :

“ I had a dream which was not all a dream." Y o u can . N o w , sir, in terp ret. It is said b y P o e th a t “ It w a s w ell said o f a certain G erm an book th at l er lasst sich n ich t lesen '— it does not perm it itse lf to T h e r e are

som e d ream s, an d

th o se

be re a d .” *

th e m ost m y stical and sp iritu al,

w hich do not perm it th e m selve s to b e u n ravelled .

T h is does not im ply

th at th e y are d ev o id o f m eanin g, but th a t th e m ean in g th a t th ey h a v e is so elev a ted a b o v e the p la n e o f m a terial th o u gh t, th a t to exp ress it in w ord s w h ich are th e essen tial sym bo ls o f th at m a terial th o u gh t, is to d ra g it from its sp iritu al lev el, and p ra c tic a lly to ruin it. Y o u r rem ark s h a v e d ou b tless a d ep th in them g rea te r th an th e w ell o f D em ocritu s, but I am no d iver, p h ysica l o r m en tal.

I m ust p o sitively

declin e to ta k e a h ead er into th e w a te rs o f you r o ccu lt m etap h ysics. E m b o d y th e dream in w ord s,— but I h a v e done th a t.

W h a t does it mean.

I can not g ra sp i t ; I com e for h elp to y o u w ho ru led m y d ream . 1?

H a v e I not a lre a d y inform ed you th a t it w a s y ou r ow n H ig h e r

E g o w hom yo u d isgu ised w ith m y p h y sic a l or rath er a stra l a p p a rel, and th a t before y o u h a d had th e co u rtesy to a sk m y perm ission. A ll rig h t.

W e adm it th a t.

P ro cee d .

B u t I do not know if m y in terp retation o f y o u r vision is th e tru e one. T h e r e a re so m an y w a y s o f in terp retin g a dream like you rs w hich w ill differ a cco rd in g to th e m en tal and p h ysica l id io sy n crasies o f the in terp reter. V e r y w ell.

G iv e m e your in terp retation .

I ju d g e th a t th e d a rk n ess w h ich y o u d escrib ed in the b e g in n in g o f y o u r d ream , w a s sy m b o lic o f th e mental d a rk n ess w h ich co n fro n ts the ca n d id a te for o ccu lt tru th a t th e T h re sh o ld o f his jo u rn e y . m ust b e d issip a ted b y the c a n d id a te him self. lig h t alon e.

N o n e can h elp him .

T h is d a rk n e ss

H e m ust w in his w a y to the

B u i if h e ca ll upon h is H ig h e r S e lf,

a s a ch ela for h is gu ru , he w ill assu red ly b e heard, and b y th a t S e lf be led in to the d a w n an d then into th e d ay. W h a t did th e sta irca se sym b o lise ? T h e a scen t to a h igh er p lan e. A n d m y stu m b lin g ? E v id e n tly th e fa lls th at th e student m u st ex p ect to h a v e in h is u pw ard p a ssa g e to it. 'T h e Man of the Crowd.’

G ood.

N o w for w h at too k p la ce in the ch am b er ?

T h e re w ere three o b jects on the ta b le w h ich you th rew into thefire. T h e s e w ere— A sk u ll— T h e sym bo l o f the m em ory o f evils w rought in the p a st. be

k illed .

W h a t is done is done.

I t is u seless

a n tic ip a te th e ir K a rm a b y d w ellin g upon th em .

It h as to

an d w ea k en in g

T h a t is sim p ly to a ct them

again on the m ental plane and im prin t fresh p ictu res o f them on the astral lig h t.

I f you h a ve sk eleton s in the cu p b oard — and w ho h as not ?— shut

the cu p b oard doors close and forget them . not behind or thou art lo st.”

It is an o ccu lt m axim “ look

T ra n sla te d into the sy m b o lo g y o f you r dream

th e m axim w ou ld run, “ T h r o w y o u r sk u ll into the fire." B u t th e cross— w ooden and o f a d irty-w h ite colou r ? R e lig io n . of

religion .

T h e d irtin ess o f th e cross sym b o lised the present im purity T h e stu d en t o f the

religion or sect.

S a c re d W isd o m

H is aim should be the T r u th , ap art from its incom plete

presen tm en ts to m en in p a rticu la r form s. A h yes, the little golden im ag e. H o w so ?

m ust belon g

A s for the im ag e o f y o u rse lf—

T h a t p u zzle s m e trem en d ou sly.

It w a s you rself.

U n d e n ia b ly , bu t— Y o u h a v e tw o S e lv e s, a H ig h e r and a L o w e r , h a v e y o u not ? A n d the im age— W a s y ou r L o w e r , personal S e lf. to

us.

O u r p ersonality is apt to be sw eet

It is selfishn ess, and it is e a sy to be

self-sacrificin g. th e m a jo rity .

“ N um ber I ”

is as

selfish, difficult to

p recio u s as

go ld

“ N e v e r m ind N u m b er I ,” sa y s O ccu ltism .

the sight o f

“ D e stro y your

sen se o f p e rso n a lity,— crush it as yo u w ou ld a rep tile under y o u r foot— and blend y o u rse lf w ith the

all.

T h e L o w e r S e lf is a S e lf o f in su larity,

th e H ig h e r is a S e lf o f diffusion, in clu d in g all oth er S e lv e s. con sciou sn ess in b oth.

Y o u can not h ave

R a ise it from th e L o w e r in to the H ig h e r .”

A n d all that w a s in m y dream !

It w a s a m essage to me and I could

not read i t ! T h e lan gu a g e w a s stran g e to you. B u t as I said , I had a series o f tM ce d ream s.

I h a ve o n ly told yo u

the first. M e d itate on th e oth er tw o , on the lin es I h a v e used for th is on e. A n a ly se them T h e o so p h ica lly .

T h e n you w ill u n derstan d. Ja s t r z e b s k i.

“ H erder

has o n ly one th o u gh t, th a t is th e en tire w o rld .”

“ L aw alone can g iv e us freed om ." “ T he

M a ster sh o w s h im self in lim ita tio n .”

G oeth e.

^ b o n j j b t s o it $ t a t a r f . H E R E are m om ents in the sw eet stilln ess o f e a rly m orning, w h en stra n g e and novel th o u gh ts flow in upon th e soul and w hen the harm on ies o f n ature prod u ce sym ph o n ies o f m usic so sw eet and w ild , and w ith a l so ex q u isite, th a t the sp irit o f the p rivileg ed b eh old er is stirred to its m ost m ysteriou s d ep th s and th rills w ith n ew and in expressib le em otions. T h e m a gic o f ev en in g is em in en tly s o o th in g ; it lu lls the spirit, tired out w ith th e tria ls and w orries o f a lon g d a y ; its influence p a rta k e s o f the n ature o f a n arco tic, w h ich , for the tim e, su p p lies a balm th at sm ooths over the p a in s and b ig rea lities o f th e a ctiv e life b attle. It sleep s on the soul o f the w e a ry one, as m oon light sleeps on th e su rface o f a calm lak e, w a k e n in g on ly the ligh test and m ost p leasu ra b le rip p les o f reflection ; but it can n ever “ trou b le the w a te rs,” nor call into action th ose en ergies th at lie in the d eeps, a s the w ind -storm s do, ra cin g over th e ocean w a t e r s ; neither can it a w ak en th o se h igh est en erg ies— “ n oble lon gin gs for the strife ” — th e nobler w ill-p oten cies, w h ich , in a lo fty m ind, cannot fail to b e ev o k ed b y th e w on d rou s freshn ess, vig o u r, n o v e lty, and alm ost u n ea rth ly lovelin ess o f an e a r ly m ornin g scen e. A s the d ark n ess o f the n igh t slo w ly m erges in to th e first strea k s o f the sunrise ligh ts, th e b ehold in g sp irit seem s to lea v e its ow n p lan e o f con sciou sn ess and to enter th at o f th e su rrou nd ing n atu re-life, to com m une, indeed, w ith the p o ten cie s w h ich , a b o v e and behind all n atu ra l phenom ena, ren d er them b ea u tifu l, m ysteriou s or w eird . T h e n , too, w e seem to be in p erfect sy m p a th y w ith th e “ u n kn ow n ” (not the “ u n kn ow able ” ) w h ich g iv e s to a ll such b ea u tifu l scen es th eir w on derful life an d h igh sp iritu a lity. T h e n it is th at th e sp irit u n derstan d s in tu itiv e ly th e ex p ressiv e v o ice s o f th e trees, an d is m ore su scep tib le to th e sw eet cad e n ces o f th e so n g o f the stream as it rushes a lo n g o v er th e p e b b le s ; p la y fu lly sp rin gin g up to kiss the le a v e s o f som e lo w -h a n g in g bough or to c a r ry from them som e m essage bori\, o f n ig h t’s ligh test b reeze and pu rest d ew to old fath er ocean , a w a y in th e fa r d istan ce, under th e g la re of the n oon -d ay sun— to th a t gra n d old ocean w hose m urm ur, too, at su ch a tim e h as a d eep er sig n ifican ce th an usual and to the sp irit rig h tly attu n ed w ill, in sm othered roars a lo n g the lone shore, d isclo se som ething o f “ w h a t is u n kn ow n .” It is at this hour of e a rly m ornin g th at one m ay seem to h ea r fa in t ech oes o f the w eird w h isp erin gs in w hich the form s o f n atu re co n v erse d u rin g th e great silen ces o f the n ight. H ig h up am ong the w ild m ountains su ch a scen e to a sen sitive spirit w ill be one o f a w e, po w er and in d e scrib a b le gra n d eu r. A s, one b y one, the d a rk g ia n ts rea rin g up into the un m easured d ep th s o f the s k y first ca tch a glim m er o f the retu rn in g ligh t and, a s the w ind s, th a t a ll th e lon g n igh t th rough h a v e slept on th e cold solitu d es o f in a cce ssib le ice-fields, b egin again to b reath e a lo n g th e still, sh ad ow ed slopes, w here m yriad s o f pin es point, like long fingers, h ea v en w a rd , im p a rtin g to all th e y tou ch an in d e scrib a b le sense o f aloofness and stron g b e a u ty , o f “ pow er a p a rt and in a cce ssib le ” w h ich b elon gs not to the softer c h a ra cte ristic s o f the g rea t m id d ay h e a ts — a s these m ornin g a irs stir th e w ild g ra sses and p a ss from one r o c k y m onster acro ss in terven in g v a lle y s in deepest slum ber to oth ers m ore d ista n t still, a new sense th rills throu gh us and we p a rticip a te , a s far a s m a y be, in the life throbs o f th e g rea t n atu re sp irits b y w hom w e are s u r ro u n d e d ; w e are raised aloft to their cool h eig h ts o f repose, and alm ost ga in an en tran ce in to th a t sp iritu a l and far m ore b ea u tifu l w orld o f w h ich

our ow n is bu t an im perfect reflection — an im ag e, d istorted and to pass aw ay. B y th e g rea te r pow er that lies around u s on su ch an o ccasion w e are en abled , p e rh a p s som e o f us for the first tim e, to com prehend th e ex q u isite b e a u ty th a t lies in the com bin ed p o etry and m usic o f the w in d am on g the p in e bou gh s and the m ajestic po w er freed b y th e c a ta ra c t, the cra sh in g of ro ck -fa lls or the th u n d ers o f th e snow slid es.

"These are the voices of the mountains ; Thus they ope their snow lips And speak to one another In the primaeval language lost to man.” B u t an oth er poet g ifted w ith far d eep er in sig h t in to the real essen ce and n ature o f th in gs on b eh old in g som e su ch scen e o f w ild n ess, e x c la im s :—

“ Spirit of Nature ! here ! In this interminable wilderness Of worlds, at whose immensity Even soaring fancy staggers, Here is thy fitting temple. Yet not the lightest leaf That quivers to the passing breeze Is less instinct with thee : Yet not the meanest worm That lurks in graves and fattens on the dead, Less shares thy eternal breath.” T h e poet w ho g a v e b irth to th e a b o v e lines had a p assin g glim p se o f a g rea t tru th , one th at can o n ly be a p p reciated and therefore th o ro u g h ly en joyed b y th e T h eo so p h ist. A g a in th e sam e sw eet sin ger s a y s :—

" Spirit of Nature ! No! The pure diffusion of thy essence throbs Alike in everv human heart. •

•

Thine the Tribunal which surpasseth The show of human Justice, As God surpasses man. Soul of those mighty spheres Whose changeless paths through heaven’s deep silence lie : Soul of that smallest being, The dwelling of whose life Is one faint April sun-gleam.” H e elsew h ere s a y s th at

“ Every heart contains perfection’s germ,” but th e w h ole tru th in all its gra n d eu r w ith th e m arvello u s evo lu tio n o f life from its sou rce throu gh all form s b ack a ga in to th e b egin n in g h ad not d a w n ed on his m ind. S o a ga in , w e find th a t th is poet, w h o w rite s so b ea u tifu lly a b o u t on e, lik e him self, c re a tin g “ form s m ore real than liv in g m a n ,” n eve r re a lly p e rceiv ed th at “ form is illu siv e, and th at the r e a lity is a p rin cip le w h ic h is in d epen d en t o f form .” N e v e rth e le ss he h a s glim p ses o f h igh est tru th ; as for in stan ce, w h en he ex p resses th e in exorab le ju s tic e o f th e K a rm a w h ich e v e r y m an is slo w ly and su rely w e a v in g for h im self and h is future, even a s he h as in the p a st b rought abou t h is present cond ition and circu m stan ces.

" And all-sufficing nature can chastise Those who transgress her law, she only knows How justly to proportion to the fault The punishment it merits.” H e n eve r fu lly realised , th o u gh , the full m eanin g o f th e w ord h e w a s

so fond o f u sin g and w h ich represen ted w h a t he ju s tly w orsh ipp ed w ith o u t e v e r com preh en d in g th a t he w a s w o rsh ip p in g in rea lity , not the h igh est, but on ly the sh a d o w o f th e h ig h e st— N a t u r e . H e sa w throu gh a g la ss d a rk ly , and on ly in part d id he g ra sp th e g rea t T r u th th a t, as th e au th or o f “ M a gic, W h ite and B la c k ” pu ts i t — “ N a tu re has the sam e organisation a s m an, alth ou g h not the sam e ex tern al form .” A lgernon

B la ck w o o d .

------------- 3 S € -------------

anti folesiastirim. (A P a p er read before T h e B la v a tsk y L o d g e.) Chi

N con sid erin g th e question as to th e relation b etw een T h eo so p h y and E cc le sia stic ism

it m ight a p p e ar a t first sig h t th at th e tw o are so

u tterly op posed in p rin cip le and in p ra c tic e , th a t little rem ains to b e said un less w e open u p th e w hole q u estion as to first p rin ciples. this,

ex h ib it

the p rin cip les

B u t to do

upon w h ich th a t w h ich is know n as

T h e o so p h y is b ased , in co n tra st w ith th o se p rin cip les w h ich h a v e resu lted in, and w h ich are uph eld b y , our m odern ec c le sia stica l system ; to do this, and then to put fo rw ard th e arg u m en ts w h ich as T h e o so p h ists w e should use in support o f our p a rticu la r opinion s, is ev id e n tly b eyon d th e scop e o f our efforts to-n ight.

N o d ou b t the question o f first p rin cip les is th e m ost

im portant o n e ; for w e as T h e o so p h ists deal w ith prin cip les, and le a v e the o u tw a rd form s to ta k e c a re o f th em selves.

B u t though to-n ight w e m ay

to u ch in cid en ta lly upon fu n dam en tal p rin cip les, w e m u st b e conten t to do so o n ly as b ea rin g upon som e p ra ctica l q u estion s w hich I shall brin g before y ou r n otice, as to th e relatio n b etw een m odern T h e o so p h y and e c c le sia s tic a l C h ristia n ity ; as to ou r in flu en ce a s T h eo so p h ists upon th e C h ristian C h u rch o f the future. I h a v e said th a t T h e o so p h ists d eal w ith p rin cip les and le a v e th e o u tw a rd form s to ta k e care of th em selves, and in sa y in g th is I h a v e stru ck th e k ey n o te of th e essen tial differen ce b etw e en T h eo so p h y and E c c le s ia s ticism , b etw een the m ethods o f the T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty and th o se o f the ch u rch .

T h e T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty k n ow s no d istin ctio n o f race, creed ,

sex, caste, or c o lo u r;

it w elcom es all w h o h a ve recogn ised th e broad

prin cip le o f th e B ro th erh o o d o f H u m a n ity , and h a v in g recogn ised th is p rin cip le h a v e been a b le

to b reak throu gh th o se

w h ich sep a ra te com m u nities, cla sses, and in d ivid u a ls.

a rtific ia l d istin ctio n s T h e ch u rch on th e

oth er h an d is e ssen tially and n ecessa rily e x c lu siv e and in to le r a n t; its first requirem ent a s a condition of m em bership is a profession o f b elief in th e a u th o rity o f a d og m a. p rin cip le an d the form

T h e o so p h y recogn ises th e difference b etw een a w h ich is but a tem p orary exp ression o f th a t

p rin cip le.

I t recogn ises to the fu llest ex te n t th e fa ct w h ich m a y b e p lain ly

d iscern ed on e v ery sid e in th e realm o f n atu re, and in e v e ry a g e in the h isto ry o f h u m a n ity, th a t a ll form s a re im perm an en t, th a t th e y are ever b ein g m odified and rem od ified , th a t th e y h a ve th eir b irth , m a tu rity , and d ea th ; w h ile th e prin cip le w h ich u n d erlies them rem ain s th e sam e.

Thus

T h e o so p h y , d ea lin g w ith the religion s o f the w orld , is toleran t tow ard s e v e ry form o f faith, an d d ea ls o n ly w ith th e fu n dam en tal p rin cip le w hich finds an exp ression in such a v a rie ty o f form s under different external c o n d itio n s : th e p rin cip le w h ich lea d s th e hum an to look u p w a rd s tow ards the d ivin e.

E cc le sia s tic is m on th e oth er hand is e ssen tially a m atter of

form s

fo r m u la s ;

and

th e

ch u rch

h as

save

raison d 'etre,

as the

rep rese n ta tiv e of a sp ecia l and p a rticu la r form o f religion . T h e o so p h y in clu d es E cc le sia stic is m in its ge n e ra lizatio n s, can regard it from an im p a rtial stan d p oin t, and assign to it its d ue p la ce am on g other religiou s phenom ena, in clu d in g th e v a rio u s form s w h ich T h eo so p h y itself h a s assum ed in different ages. B u t E cc le sia stic is m can n o t th u s rega rd itse lf as a m ere tem porary phenom enon.

It con sid ers its e lf as th e one and o n ly d ivin e a u th o rity , the

outcom e and rep rese n ta tiv e o f G o d â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s d ea lin g s w ith th e hum an race from the foun dation o f th e w orld to its final consu m m ation .

E cc le s ia stic is m is

b ased essen tia lly on th e p rin cip le o f su p ern atu ral a u th o r ity ; T h e o so p h y is based on n atu ra l la w in the sp iritu a l w orld . E c c le sia stic is m is th e offspring o f th eology, T h e o so p h y o f p an th eo lo gy.

E c c le sia stic is m relies upon dogm a,

T h eo so p h y upon reason and exp erien ce. T hese

then

E c c le sia stic is m T h ere

can

are

th e

p o le s ;

th e se

resp ects

T h eo sop h y

and

a re as w id e a p a rt as it is possible to se p a ra te them . no

com prom ise

b etw een

th e

tw o ;

eith er T h eo so p h y

m ust becom e e c c le sia stica l, or E c c le sia stic is m m ust b ecom e th e o s o p h ic a l: the

g rea t

question

for

d ecid e

w h ich

sh a ll

be;

shall w e as T h eo so p h ists so lea v e n the th o u gh t o f the a g e th a t th e church w ill be bound to conform to the d em an d w h ich w e m ake for a recogn ition o f our p r in c ip le s ; or w ill T h e o so p h y be su b ject to th e sam e process of d eg ra d atio n w h ich has follow ed oth er religio u s reform atio n s, and becom e a m ere ex o teric religion o f creed s and fo rm u las?

T h is I ta k e it is th e m ain

q uestion , th e point of p r a c tic a l in terest as b etw een m odern T h e o so p h y and m odern E cc le sia s tic is m , to w h ich w e m ust confine our atten tio n to-n igh t. T h e question is a n arro w er one ev en th an m igh t a p p e a r a t first s i g h t ; for o b serve th a t the fu n dam en tal p rin cip les in resp e ct to w h ich T h e o so p h y stan ds opposed to E c c le sia stic is m , b ein g so to sp ea k the o p p o site p o les o f a ll th a t is related to th e religio u s elem ent in h u m an n atu re, h a v e ex iste d and m ust continu e to ex ist so lon g as the ph enom enal w o rld o f d u a lity ex ists.

M odern E cc le sia stic ism is th e ou tcom e o f certain p rin cip les, o f

c ertain ten d en cies in hum an n atu re, w h ich

h a v e p rod u ced n u m b erless

form s o f sa cerd o talism and ex o teric religion in p a st a g e s ; and w h ic h w ill

doubtless do th e sam e for a g e s to c o m e ; for w e are on ly in th e fifth race o f the fourth round, and m oreover in th e c y c le o f K a li Y u g a .

M odern

T h e o so p h y also is m erely one o f a g rea t v a r ie ty o f form s w h ich h a ve ap p eared on the su rface o f hum an h isto ry , a s an in d ication or exp ression o f th a t deep cu rren t o f sp iritu al k n o w le d g e w h ich h as been p reserved un corrupted from th e ea rliest ages, tho u gh u n kn ow n and u n recogn ised as to its n atu re and source.

Y e t it is from th a t sou rce th at all th a t is

sp iritu al in the h isto ry o f th e w orld h a s o rig in ally proceeded .

W e are

a ccu sto m ed to claim for T h e o s o p h y th at it is th e root o f all the great W o r ld

R e lig io n s ; th a t

e x o teric religion s

d ifferen tiation s o f th e eso teric W isd o m we i.e.,

m ust th o se

o b serve th a t w h a t eso teric

d o ctrin es

are m erely corru p tion s and

R e lig io n , or T h eo -so p h ia .

w e n ow call T h e o so p h y in th is w h ich

have

th u s

been

But sen se,

corru pted ,

are

th e m selve s m erely tem p orary form s rep rese n ta tiv e o f h ig h er tru th s and w id er k n ow led ge.

T h e real sp iritu a l sou rce is som eth in g o f w h ich our

m odern T h e o so p h y is m erely one o f a n u m ber o f e x o teric rep resen tation s. B e y o n d T h e o so p h y lies O ccu ltism , and b eyon d th a t a g a in — w h o sh all sa y w h at ? N o w it is n ecessa ry to point th is out b ecau se it h as an im portant b ea rin g on th e question w e are con sid erin g, th e m ore im m ed iate question as to th e relation o f ou r m odern T h e o so p h y to m odern E c c le sia stic is m .

is n ecessa ry th a t w e sh ould ta k e the w id est po ssib le v ie w o f b o th in their conn ection w ith hum an h isto ry an d evolu tion , i f w e w ou ld un derstan d th e forces w h ich are a t w o rk in ea ch c a s e ;

w e m ust u n derstan d our ow n

position as T h eo so p h ists in relatio n to th e sp iritu al forces o f th e w orld, as w ell a s the position o f th e ch u rch or o f ex o teric religion s in g e n e ra l. B e a r in m ind then th a t M odern T h e o so p h y — b y w h ich I m ean th ose w ritin g s an d te a ch in g s w h ich are n ow c alled th e o so p h ica l, and w h ich h as th e T h e o so p h ica l S o c ie ty a s a rep rese n ta tiv e b od y— is bu t one o f a n um ber o f re v iv a ls or im p u lses w h ich h a v e b een sent out from th e cen tre o f the w o rld ’s sp iritu al v ita lity , and h a ve found an exp ression in v a rio u s w a y s on the o b je c tiv e plane o f h isto ry.

It is a v e ry im portant re v iv a l no d o u b t ;

so far a s w e w h o are liv in g in th e m idst o f it can see, it m ust ta k e rank w ith th e G n o sticism o f th e e a rly cen tu ries, w ith th o se te a c h in g s w h ich a fte rw a rd s b ecam e corru p ted into e c c le sia s tic a l C h r is t ia n ity ; and, a s I sh all p re se n tly point out, there a re

m a n y resem b lan ces

presen t a g e and th e e a r ly cen tu ries o f ou r era.

b etw een th e

It is for us to determ in e

w h e th e r our rev iv a l sh a ll sh a re th e sam e fa te a s th a t, w h e th e r w e sh all be able to p erm a n en tly d iv e st C h ristia n ity o f its e c c le sia s tic a l garm en ts, and re-in state th e origin al te ach in g s, or w h eth er ou r m ovem en t w ill sh a re the sam e d ete rio ra tin g and h ard en in g p ro cess w h ich w e trace in the form ation o f th o se creed s an d d ogm as w h ich n ow g o b y th e n am e o f C h ristia n ity . T h e question is therefore c o m p a ra tiv e ly a n arro w one, b u t it raises the m ost im portan t p o in ts o f p ra ctic a l in terest to those w h o are see k in g to

aid th e w ork o f the T h e o so p h ica l S o c ie ty an d the sp rea d o f T h eo so p h ica l prin cip les. L e t us g la n c e then for a m om ent a t th e ph enom ena of the C h ristian C h u rch , a t th a t system o f E cc le s ia stic is m w h ich professes to d erive its a u th o rity from the person and te a c h in g s o f Jesu s of N a z a re th , th o u gh in re a lity it is p a g an in a ll its form s an d cerem on ies.

T o th o se o f us w ho

h a ve re a lly gra sp e d the p rin cip les o f T h e o so p h y , an d th a t profou nd histo ry o f hum an evolu tion w h ich the S e c re t D o ctrin e d isclo ses, the w h ole h isto ry o f E c c le sia stic is m , from its rise nigh upon tw o th o u san d y ea rs a g o to the present d a y o f its d eclin e, is but a ve ry sm all and c o m p a ra tiv e ly in sig n i fican t c y c le in the h isto ry o f the fifth R a c e .

It is a phenom enon, a phantom

ev en , a m aterialised spook, p osin g for a b rie f tim e in th e sean ce room of hum an

ign oran ce,

d ivin e

and

h eaven -in sp ired

m essen ger.

T h e o so p h ists w e ta k e E c c le sia stic is m , a lo n g w ith oth er e x o teric religiou s phenom ena, a s th e last and lo w est exp ression o f m an ’s sp iritu a l in stin ct. It corresp on d s to th e p h y sic a l w orld o f m atter, to th e ph en o m en al w orld o f form s w h ich m ost p eop le c a ll real, a s b ein g the p lan e on w h ich alon e they are self-con sciou s, but w h ich w e h a v e learn t to rega rd as th e m ost unreal an d illu siv e, as b ein g the fu rth est rem oved from th e sp iritu a l cen tre w hich is the o n ly rea lity .

T h e w orld o f form , th e p h y sic a l m a terial plane, is the

p la n e o f illu sion, b ecau se it is su b ject to con d itio n s o f tim e an d sp ace, of b irth and d e a t h ; and w h ere b irth an d d eath op erate, w h ere all is subject to ch an ge and d e c a y , th ere w e sa y is no re a lity , but o n ly a reflection , an illu siv e sh a d o w .

T h e sp iritu a l r e a lity w h ich w e seek lie s fa r a b o v e the

ch an ge an d flu x o f hum an th o u gh t and p h y s ic a l life, an d so w e rega rd all e x te rn al form s o f religion , a ll tem p orary m odes o f th o u gh t, in clu d in g our ow n th eosop h ical doctrin es, not a s perm anent rea litie s, not a s d ogm as, but m erely as lim ited and con d itio n al ex p ressio n s o f a h igh er sp iritu al reality. T h e d a n g er— n ay , the in e v ita b le te n d en cy — is for th is to b e lost sig h t of. Just a s m an kin d as a w h ole h as lost sig h t o f its sp iritu a l origin , k n ow s of th e sp iritu a l w orld o n ly b y v a g u e rep o rt, and trad itio n a l h ea rsa y , so it is the in e v ita b le fa te o f a ll th a t is sp iritu a l to descen d into m a terial form s, and lose its origin al p u rity in th e w orld o f g ro ss m atter, w h eth er p h ysica l or in tellectu al.

In th e histo ry o f e v e ry religion , o f e v e ry g re a t sp iritu al

re v iv a l, w e tra c e th is p rocess, and there is no m ore terrib le ex a m p le than th e corru ption o f the p u re te a ch in g s o f Jesu s in to th a t e c c le sia stica l system , w hose h isto ry, w ritten in fire an d blood and un m entionable crim es, is the b la ck e st an d foulest in th e lon g reco rd o f hum an evolu tion . T o us, therefore, E cc le sia s tic is m of

th a t m a te ria lizin g

a p p e a rs

th e final exp ression

p ro cess w h ich is ev er a t w o rk, th e cen trifu g al

p rin cip le o f the un iverse op eratin g on th e relig io u s elem ent or sp iritu al in stin cts o f h u m a n ity .

T h e o so p h y sta n d s so m uch h ig h er th a n E c c le s ia s

ticism , th at w e can a lw a y s tra c e the la tte r b a c k to a sou rce w h ic h is p u rely T h e o so p h ic.

The

te a c h in g s o f Jesu s are

th e

pu rest

form o f

T h e o so p h y , and th e sam e is th e c a se w ith th e te a ch in g s o f B u d d h a and oth er g rea t religio u s r e fo rm e rs ; but th e y h a v e a ll b ecom e o v erla id and in cru sted w ith trad itio n s and cu stom s w h ich h a v e w ell n igh o b literated th eir o rigin al p u rity and u n iv ersa lity . W h a te v e r , th erefore, m a y b e th e cla im s w h ich E c c le sia s tic is m m akes, w h a te v e r m a y b e th e stren gth o f its a u th o rity or its h old upon the m asses, w e can h a v e no doubt as to its u ltim ate fa te ; it m ust follow the in e vita b le la w o f d e c a y and d eath .

A n d w ho can d ou b t th at it h as a lre a d y h a d its

d a y, th a t it h as top p ed th e h igh est point o f its c y c le and- is n ow p a ssin g d ow n on the d escen d in g a rc.

T h e p rin cip les w h ich g a v e rise to it w ill

rea p p ear in som e n ew form , for th e y are d eep ly rooted in hum an n a t u r e ; let us b ew a re, h o w e ver, lest th a t n ew form should b e th e re-m aterializatio n o f th o se T h e o so p h ic p rin cip les w h ich w e are n ow en d ea vo u rin g to teach the w orld. T h e d a y o f th e tem poral p o w er o f the c h u rch is p a st, the d a y s o f c h u rch and

sta te are n um bered , and soon th e ch u rch w ill be left to

d epend en tirely upon its ow n inh erent v ita lity to fight th e b a ttle w ith the a cc u m u la tin g forces o f scien ce and reason. do th is ?

H a s it life and force enough to

C a n th e a u th o rity o f its creed s and d ogm as be m ain tain ed in

fa ce o f th e w o rld 's in tellectu a l p rog ress, or w ill th e y b e yield ed one by one, as in the p a st, u n til the la s t tra c e o f all th a t con stitu ted the au th ority w h ich it w ield ed h a s been w rested from it ? A n d o b serve, a s one o f th e sign s o f the tim es, th a t these q u estion s are not m erely b ein g asked b y in d epen d en t th in k ers and w riters ou tside o f the c h u rc h .

S om e o f th e m ost th o u gh tfu l m en in the ch u rch itse lf see p la in ly

th a t unless the old m ethod s, the old th e o lo gy , can b e recon stru cted and b ro u g h t into lin e w ith m odern th o u gh t, its d a y s are n um bered.

T h e g rea t

question o f the d a y in th is m a tter is t h i s : can th e ch u rch sh ift th e b a sis o f its a u th o rity w ith out b rin gin g th e jvhole stru ctu re dow n in ruins ? O r as P rofessor D rum m ond so a b ly p u ts i t : â&#x20AC;&#x153; w e m ust e x h ib it our doctrin es, not ly in g a th w a rt th e lin es o f the w o rld â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s th in kin g, in a p la ce reserved , and therefore shunned, for th e G r e a t E x c e p tio n ; but in th eir k in sh ip to all truth and in their L a w -re la tio n to the w hole o f N a tu re .â&#x20AC;?

F o r it is c le a rly

seen th a t if the ch u rch can not do th is, its fa te is a lre a d y sealed.

The

a u th o rity w h ich m en d em and to-d ay is no longer th e sam e as th a t w h ich h eld in the e a rly d a y s o f C h ristia n ity , or even at the com m en cem ent o f th e present cen tu ry , an d w h ich th e c h u rch so su cce ssfu lly w ield ed in g ra sp in g the tem poral po w er and d om in atin g th e th o u gh t and effort o f cen tu ries. m iracle

T h e a u th o rity o f the su p ern atu ral in p a s t ; th e a g e w hen a

could

su p posed to p rove a d ogm a is g o n e ; th e litera ry

d ocu m en ts and h isto rical ev id en ces o f the c h u rch are no lon ger rega rd ed as ou tsid e the scop e o f scien tific and lite ra ry criticism .

T h e a u th o rity w hich

is req u ired n o w -a-d ays is th e a u th o rity o f n atu ral law , th e test dem and ed is th a t o f ex p erim en t and ind u ction .

C a n the ch u rch c a rry her ch erish ed

trad itio n s and d o g m as th rou gh these op p o sin g in flu e n c es;

can she show

th e a u th o rity w hich is d e m a n d e d ; can she sta n d th e scien tific te st, and show th a t her d ogm as are b ased on n atu ra l law ? I th in k th e a n sw er to th is question m ust be e m p h a tic a lly — N o !

F o r o b serve, th a t a lth o u g h the

n ec essity is recogn ised b y m an y m en w ith in th e ch u rch itse lf, and althou gh som ething h as a lrea d y been done to m eet th e dem and, y e t th ese m en are a ve ry sm all m inority, and m oreover th e a ttem p t is v e ry in sig n ifica n t and ap o lo g etic w h en p laced in co n tra st w ith the resu lts a rriv ed at b y in d ep en dent th in kers.

N o doubt th e old th eo lo gy h as been v e ry la r g e ly m odified

b y th e influence o f th e a g e : th e d octrin e o f H e ll for in stan ce h as been v e ry w id ely repu d iated .

B u t w e are som etim es told th a t not one esse n tia l

d octrin e has b een tou ch ed , or even m odified by the co n tro v ersies o f th e p a st fifty y e a r s ; b y w h ich I b elieve w e are inten ded to un derstan d th a t th e cen tral d octrin es o f th e c h u rch w ith rega rd to th e p erso n a lity an d m ission o f C h rist rem ain u n altered .

N ow

th is is u n d o u b ted ly tru e in sid e th e

ch u rch , but it is not tru e ou tside o f it.

T h e net resu lt o f m odern c ritic ism

h a s been to d ivo rce e n tire ly th e in tellect o f th e age from th e old th e o lo g y . “ In telligen t m en refuse to ta k e o r d e r s ; in tellig en t m en refu se to a tten d c h u rc h ," are th e tw o fa cts w h ich are p la in ly d iscern ib le do not close th eir eyes.

b y a ll w h o

O f cou rse w e do not claim b y th is th a t th ere

are no in tellig en t m en in th e c h u rc h .

T h e c h u rch h as re p re se n ta tiv e

m en o f v a s t in tellect and profou nd learn in g ; bu t th e y b elon g to a p a st g en eration .

W h a t is the risin g gen eration o f c le ric a ls, w e m u st a sk ?

W h a t are the m en w ho now en ter the ch u rch , and w h o w ill be th e rep re sen ta tive m en in tw e n ty -fiv e or fifty y e a rs ’ tim e ? in tellect o f the a ge ?

D o th ey rep resen t th e

H o w m a n y o f them u n derstan d th e d em and w h ich

the a g e is m akin g in resp e ct to the A rtic le s o f R e lig io n to w h ic h th e y su b scrib e ? B u t a p a rt from th is w e m ust ob serve, th at a lth ou gh som e a p o lo g ists w ith in th e ch u rch are en d eavou rin g to p la ce th e old d octrin es on a n ew b a s i s ; are en d e a v o u rin g to retain th e old d octrin es, and infuse into them a san ction d erived from th e c u ltu re o f the a g e ; th e v e rd ic t o f th a t c u ltu re is em p h a tica lly th a t no su ch com prom ise is p o s s ib le ; th a t n ew w ine can n o t b e p u t into old b o t t le s ; th a t th e d octrin es th em selves are ob so lete an d w orn out. W h a t I p la ce before y o u for con sid eration is t h i s : w h e th e r th e a g e h as not a lrea d y

pron ou n ced its v e rd ict, w h eth er th e th e o lo g y o f th e

su p ern a tu ra l is not a lre a d y d ead . d erived therefrom .

M ind, I sa y th e theology, not th e religion

T h e e x o teric religion an d form s o f w o rsh ip m a y liv e

on, lon g a fter th e d octrin es from w h ich th e y origin ated h a v e cea sed to ex ist in the th o u gh t o f th e a g e.

D o not be m isled in to th in k in g th a t th e

c h u rch w ill ra p id ly lose its influence.

W e w ho liv e and m ove in th e

atm osp h ere o f a d va n ced th o u gh t are p e rh a p s too liab le to over-estim a te th e im m ed iate effect and in flu en ce o f the h igh er and w id er p rin cip les w h ich

w e h a v e been a b le to assim ilate.

B u t th e g rea t m ass o f m ankind is still

eith er u n ab le or u n w illin g to d ecid e th ese q u estion s for th em selves, and w ill c lin g to old and accep ted d octrin es as th e safest or easiest cou rse. H o w e v e r absurd m a y ap p ear to us th e orthod ox C h ristia n d octrin es in referen ce to a perso n al G o d , and the so-called “ p la n o f s a lv a tio n ,” w e m ust not shut our e y es to the fact th at th ese id e a s — ob solete as th e y now are in th e region o f m odern th o u gh t— h a ve still a trem en dous h old and in fluen ce upon the m asses.

L o o k for in stan ce at the R om an C a th o lic

ch u rch , the in flexib le rep rese n ta tiv e o f the old th eo lo gy. to -d a y is w id esp read and p o w erfu l; d ev o te es a s ign oran t a n d su p erstitiou s.

Its influence

nor can w e a lto geth er

c la s s

its

S u ch a m an as th e late C ard in a l

N ew m a n , a m an w hom w e m ust cred it w ith sp lend id in tellectu al pow er, and a profou nd d esire for tru th , can be po in ted out as a ga in st a n y th in g w e m a y sa y resp ectin g the in tellectu al sta tu s o f R o m an C a th o lic d evotees. N o dou bt it h a s a p p e ared an ex tra o rd in a ry th in g to m a n y th at such a m an cou ld becom e the ch am p ion o f such a system ; but I do not thin k th at it is a lto g e th er in e x p lica b le in view o f th e d octrin e o f re-incarn ation and K a rm a .

It is q u ite evid en t from w h a t w e know o f h is e a rly th o u gh ts and

ten d en cies th a t he w a s a religiou s m y stic

b irth .

The

influ ences

g en era ted in his past in carn ation w ere too stron g to be overco m e, and w e m a y ea sily im agin e him to h a v e been one o f those religiou s a sce tic s o f the e a r ly or m ediaeval a ges, w ho w ere such a bso lu te d evotees to the ch u rch , a n d w h ose w h ole life w a s one con tin u ed self-tortu re for the sake o f the d ogm as w h ich had la id such a hold upon their life.

S u ch a K a rm a as this

w o u ld gen era te, w ou ld ap p ear in e v ita b ly to g iv e a b ias w h ich w ou ld reassert itse lf in m an y su cceed in g incarn ation s.

C a n it be th a t w e h a v e a

clu e to th is in his d evotion to the old S a in t, P h ilip Neri-, w h o liv ed

300

y e a rs a go ? In lookin g b road ly at th is question as to th e continu ed in flu en ce o f the ch u rch , it h as often a p p e ared to m e th at th is factor o f K a rm a c o m e s la rg e ly into op eratio n in conn ection w ith th e reb irth in the presen t cen tu ry o f hu n d red s and th ou san d s, w ho m ay h a v e been c lo sely a sso ciated w ith th e g rea t curren t o f E cc le sia stic ism cen tu rie s or so.

a n y tim e d u rin g the p a st fifteen

L o o k e d a t from on e po in t o f v ie w the h isto ry o f the

ch u rch h as b een th e h isto ry o f a terrib le p sy c h ic w h irlp ool or v o rte x , into w h ich m illions o f souls h a ve been d ra w n b y their K a rm ic affinities and sw ep t a w a y ; or tossed h ith er and th ith er am ong th e inn u m erab le eddies, a s h elp less as w ith ered le a v e s.

T h e r e is a p a ssa ge in the “ V o ic e o f the

S ile n c e " w h ich b ears on th is.

“ B eh o ld the H o sts o f S o u ls, w a tc h how

th e y hover o ’er the sto rm y sea o f hum an life, and h ow exh a u sted , bleeding, b ro k en -w in g ed , th e y d rop one after oth er on the sw e llin g w a v e s .

T o ss e d

b y th e fierce w in d s, ch ased b y the g a le , th e y d rift into th e ed d ies and d isa p p e a r w ith in the first g rea t v o r te x .”

A n d even thus app ears to us

th a t p s y c h ic curren t k n ow n as E cc le sia stic is m .

W e w a tch it dow n the

course o f a ges, and k n o w in g w h a t it is th a t g a v e it b irth , w e stan d aside and let it p a s s ; for our e y es are fixed upon a ligh t w h ich sh o w s a b road er n obler w a y , a fu ller and d ivin er pu rpose than th a t w h ich m ou ld s th e little w orld o f sects and creed s.

B u t still the cu rren t is stron g an d s w i f t ; and

as th e w h ee l o f b irth and d ea th tu rns round, th ese sou ls w ill re a p p e a r a ga in and y e t a ga in upon the su rface, until th eir in d iv id u a l and co llective K a rm a b ein g ex h a u sted , th e cu rren t fa ils and d ies a w a y , and th e h isto ry of E c c le sia stic a l C h ristia n ity b ecom es in its tu rn an a n cien t legen d . T h e r e is an oth er m odern phenom enon w h ich sh o w s h ow stro n g the cu rren t is s t i l l :

I refer to th e S a lv a tio n A rm y m ovem en t.

T h e r e is no

d oub t as to the stren gth and p o w er o f th is latest r e v i v a l ; and it is in terÂ estin g to us as sh o w in g th e h y p n o tic in flu en ce w h ich m a y be e x e rc ise d b y one m an, w h o k n ow s h ow to m ake use o f certa in p s y c h ic cu rren ts, though he m ay not k n ow th e real n atu re o f the p o w er he w ield s. W e m ust stu d y u n iv ersa l la w s and p rin cip les if w e w ish to understand th e phenom ena o f religiou s em otionalism in a ll its va ried form s.

I f w e do

not w ish to b e sw ep t a w a y on one or oth er o f th e g rea t cu rren ts w hich produce th ese ph enom ena, w e m ust sw im a gain st th e tid e and not w ith it. It is so e a sy to drift dow n th ese cu rren ts, to go w ith the crow d .

A n d observe

th a t th is a p p lies to th e T h e o so p h ica l m ovem en t as m uch as to a n y other exoteric stream o f th o u gh t. T h e cu rren t flow s/row and not towards its source. T h e sp iritu a l in flu en ces w h ich w a ter th e earth are like the rain from H e a v e n , w h ich h a v in g fallen upon th e th irsty grou n d , co lle cts in rills and stream s and r iv u le ts ;

these u n itin g form trib u taries an d rivers, w hich

sw eep at len gth in m ig h ty volu m e u n til th e y rea ch th e sea, and are sw a llo w ed

u p a t last in an in d istin g u ish ab le

ch ao s o f

w a ters.

T h e o so p h y as a m ere e x o te ric m ovem en t m ust follow th e sam e la w .

And At

present it is so m uch n earer to th e sou rce, in th a t it h as not y e t b ecom e a m atter o f creed and f a i t h ; it is not y e t confined to on e ch an n el b y the lim its o f d ogm a and a u th o rity .

L e t us g u a rd a ga in st th is b ein g done a s

lon g a s p o ssible ; bu t I w ou ld not h a ve yo u clo se y o u r e y e s to th e p r in c iÂ ples w h ich m ust o p erate in th e h isto ry o f th e T h e o so p h ica l m ovem en t as in a ll su ch c a s e s : to th e m a terializin g p rocess to w h ich e v e r y sp iritu a l influence is su b ject, w hen it en ters th is w orld o f fo rm s; sae to it th a t he does not h elp th a t p rocess.

on ly let e a c h one

W e m ust use th e stream as a

m eans to reach its source, not as a m ere m ethod o f p assin g e a s ily th rou gh life.

F o r if w e m erely d rift dow n the cu rren t in th is present life, w e shall

rea p p ear a t som e low er po in t in our n ext in ca rn atio n , and so th e stream w ill b ea r us a lo n g dow n the cou rse o f cen tu ries, until it sw ee p s u s in u tter help lessn ess into th e g re a t ocean

w h ich

sw a llo w s e v e ry hum an effort ;

w h erein e v e ry system and creed and fa ith is lost in d a rk o b livio n , a n d lea ve s to b egin a ll o v er a g a in the c y c le o f our in itia tio n . broad and e a sy w a y . chosen.

B e w a re o f th e

It is still true th at m an y are c a lle d bu t few a re

It is so e a sy to b e a co n ven tio n al C h ristia n t o - d a y ; and w h en

it b ecom es e a sy to b e a T h e o so p h y .

con ven tion al

T h e o so p h is t, then

b ew a re

T h e broad er the stream , the n earer it is to the sea in w h ich

its id en tity w ill be lost. A n d so it is w ith e c c le sia stica l C h ristia n ity to -d ay. It is a broad and pow erfu l stream , b u t it has n ea rly run its c o u r s e ; and it is far rem oved from th a t sp iritu al sou rce from w h ich it sta rted ; from the pure te ach in g s o f Jesu s o f N a z a re th . W. K

in g s l a n d ,

F .T .S .

(To be concluded.)

---------- ----------------

fox HaraumiJ.

'■For while one saith, I am ;of Paul; and another saith, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal ? Who then is Paul, and who is A olios, but ministers through whom ye believed ? N ew Testament.

"B e humble, if thou wouldst attain unto wisdom.”— Voue cf the Silence.

H E T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty w elcom es to its fold people o f e v e ry n atio n , and o f e v e ry school and creed in religion and p h ilo so p h y, and a sk s o f none the a cc ep ta n c e o f a n y dogm a or th e adoption o f a n y h yp o th esis.

It is n ew and un fashionable, at lea st in the W e s t ; and those w ho join it m ust b e prep ared to m eet th e rid icu le o f scien ce and th e opposition o f the ch u rch ;

hence the m em bership w ill la rg e ly con sist o f m en an d w om en o f

in d epen d en ce of th o u gh t and fearlessness o f exp ression , m en and w om en w ith cou ra g e to stan d up for their con viction s.

T h is alone is en ou gh to

m ake it certain th a t differen ces o f opinion and o f statem en t w ill arise, and th a t g rea t forb earan ce and som eth ing m ore than to leration w ill be n ecessa ry if the p ra ctic e o f u n iversal brotherhood is to p rev ail.

The

d an ger is

in creased b y th e w id e difference in tra in in g and in m odes o f th o u gh t am ong those w ho here com e tog eth er for co-operation . In ve stig a tio n show s th a t m an y o f the d isp u tes and fa ctio n s w h ich d is figure the h isto ry o f p h ilosop h y grow from and la r g e ly consist o f a differen ce o f m ean in g a tta ch ed b y d ifferent w riters and sp ea kers to w ord s in com m on use.

T h is h as been so often rem ark ed th at it seem s alm ost superflu ou s to

recu r to i t ; but u n fortu n ately the literatu re o f T h e o so p h y sh o w s too p la in ly th a t it is often overlo ok ed .

O f the hu n d red th ousan d w o rd s in th e E n g lish

la n g u a g e on ly ve ry few w riters use five thou san d ; each sect in religion and ea ch school in p h ilosop h y h a s its pet w ord s and its p e cu lia r p h ra seo lo g y ; and th e w ritin g s o f one sect or school are not w h o lly in tellig ib le to follow ers o f an other, until th e v o ca b u la ry em p lo yed , and e sp e c ia lly th e m ean in g a tta ch ed to te ch n ica l term s, is m astered. T h eo so p h ica l literatu re h as m an y new te ch n ica l term s, and m an y old

ones used in n ew or unu su al senses, d erived from d iverse lan gu a g es, and coined or ad ap ted b y w riters o f different k ind s and d egrees o f cu ltu re.

T o illu s

trate, ta k e the term astral lig h t , not n ew in fa ct, bu t so rarely used h ereto fore as to be n ew to a large m ajo rity o f readers.

It com es from m ediaeval

tim es, w hen th e corp u scu lar th eory o f light p rev ailed , and w a s an app rop riate t3rm to represent a su b tle sta te o f m atter, sim ilar to the h y p o th etica l eth er of m odern scien ce.

B u t th e w ord light n ow g iv e s the a v era g e hearer an id ea

o f un dulation s in m atter, and is not tak en to be th e nam e o f a s u b s ta n c e or en tity at a ll.

W h a t conception w ill such an one gain , on b ein g told th a t the

astral light con tain s a record o f a ll th a t m en th in k and do ?

H o w can he

im agine it as constituting — not m erely disclosing — a p ictu re g a lle r y ?

O r if he

first m eets it as a tran slation o f A k is a , w h at im pression w ill he receive o f the signification o f th e H in d u w ord ?

W ill he not in e v ita b ly understand it to

m ean a m ode o f m otion, and not a sta te o f m a tter ? A g a in , suppose one h as studied m odern p h ysics ju st far en ou gh to learn th e use o f the w ord element in ch em istry, and is left to suppose, as h e can find good a u th o rity to suppose, th at an cien t ph ilosophers considered earth , w a ter, fire and air to b e elements in th e sam e sense.

H o w lon g w ould it ta k e

him to un derstan d th e te ach in g s o f R a m a P ra sa d abou t th e tatvas f it not alm ost in v o lve a re-learn in g o f his ow n ton gu e ?

D oes

W h e n it d a w n s upon

him th a t th e stoicheia o f A risto tle h a v e nothin g in com m on w ith th e elements o f m odern ph ysics, I su sp ect he w ill im agine h im self in a n ew w orld. L e t m e not be understood as sa y in g th a t th e co rp u scu lar th e o ry o f lig h t, e tc., u n derlies the te a c h in g s o f O ccu ltism in T h e o so p h y .

P e rh a p s

n eith er th is nor th e u n d u la to ry th e o ry is w h o lly true, or w h o lly false.

is th e fashion o f th e d a y am ong p h y sic ists to reso lv e h ea t, lig h t, e tc ., in to m odes o f m otion ; n a y , P rofessor C ro o k e s, in pu rsu it o f “ rad ia n t m a tte r,” ex p resses the d istin ctio n s b etw een solid s, liq u id s and g a se s in term s o f m otion.

It need not cau se su rp rise if som e learn ed d octor o f scien ce

should g r a v e ly en u n cia te th e proposition th a t m a tter its e lf is m erely a mode o f m otion.

O n th e other h an d , a rea ctio n h a s a lre a d y com m en ced ,

an d th e d octrin e o f “ su b sta n tia lism ,” so-called —

th at h ea t, lig h t, e tc .,

and p re-em in en tly sound, are su b sta n tia l en tities— h as a la rg e fo llo w in g am on g m en w h o call ea ch oth er learn ed . W ith a ll th is confu sion o f ton gu es in th e d iscu ssion o f p h ysics, it w ere stra n g e indeed if th o se w h o u n d ertak e to d iscu ss an d to te ach m e ta p h y s ic s should fa il to show even g re a te r d iv e rs ity in th e use o f la n g u a g e ; and th e utm ost care m ust b e ex ercised i f one w ould not fa ll into m ere ve rb a l q u ib b lin g. T h e r e is a still deeper cau se o f m uch differen ce o f opinion and o f m uch m utual m isu n d erstan d in g am on g us.

T h is is th e im m ense reach and th e

w onderful in volu tion o f th e su b jects d iscu ssed . k ey s, and e v e r y k e y m a y b e turned in told .

E v e r y lock h a s seven

seven d ifferent m ann ers, w e are

It follow s as th e n ig h t th e d a y , th at persons w h o su p p ose h on estly

th e y are ta lk in g abou t th e sam e th in g, are often re a lly h a n d lin g different k e y s or tu rn in g th e sam e k e y in a different m anner. an ex a m p le.

T a k e A k a sa again for

Ak&sa is m entioned a b o v e as i f it w ere o n ly a sta te o f m atter,

b u t in som e o f its uses it concern s an en tity far oth er than a n y th in g th at c a n p ro p erly b e ca lled m aterial.

L e t us com pare a few exp ression s abou t

it, taken at random from th e “ S ecre t D o ctrin e ” and oth er stan dard w orks. T h e E te rn a l P a re n t, S p a c e — or its robes— is the sou rce from w h ich A k a sa rad iates. E th e r — the gross b od y o f A k a sa , if it can b e called even th a t— w ill c ea se to b e h y p o th etica l. E th e r is one o f seven a sp e cts o f A k is a . E le c tric ity , th e O n e L

if e

at the u pp er rung o f being, and a stra l fluid

a t its low est. S p a ce ( A k is a , or th e noum enon o f ether) h as one q u a lity , sound. Ak^sa

can not b e th e ether o f m odern scien ce.

N o r is it astral

lig h t. T h e a stral ligh t is id en tica l w ith the H in d u Ak& sa. T h e soul o f the a stral lig h t is d iv in e ; its b o d y is infernal. S om e o f these referen ces a p p e ar incon gruous, and even c o n tr a d ic to r y ; but co lle ct a m ass o f su ch q u otation s, and a n a lyse and a rran ge them , and an in tellig ib le and con sisten t d o c tr in e 'w ill a p p ear.

T h e pu rpose o f th is

p a p e r is a cco m p lish e d , if it is show n th at th e last th in g to do is to call sta tem en ts n ecessa rily p a rtial

into ju d gm en t as i f th e y w ere ex h a u stiv e,

an d then condem n them as illo g ic a l and co n tra d icto ry .

M ean w hile it m ust

a lw a y s b e borne in m ind th at m istak es m a y ex ist, ev en in our m ost valu ed an d m ost reliab le w o rk s. in fa llib le scrip tu re.

F o r us th e re is no in fallib le pope, and no

In d iv id u a lly , I m a y as a C h ristia n a ccep t the G o sp els

as th e inspired W o r d o f G o d ; as a T h eo so p h ist, I h a v e no righ t so to quote it.

M y th eosop h ica l broth er, w h o is a B rah m in , m ay p lace the sam e

estim ate on th e B h a g a v a d G ita ; but he can q u ote it to me on ly on its m erits as d isp la ye d in th e in tern al ev id en ce o f

its conten ts.

U n iv e rsa l B roth erh ood no one sp ea k s w ith a u th o rity .

In th e

T h e high est G u ru

does not a sk b e lie f on th e ground o f his ow n k n ow led ge, but tells the L a n o o to look for h im self and to ca ll n o th in g known w h ich h e can not see to b e tru e.

T h e h igh est w isdom is

as th o rou g h ly an e x a ct

scien ce as is

g e o m e t r y ; w e are enjoined to go forw ard no fa ster th an w e are able to m ake sure our foo tin g.

W e m a y find it useful to ta k e m uch for gra n ted ,

as th e a lg e b ra ist assum es th e va lu e o f th e unknow n q u a n tity , b u t w e m ust ev e r p rese rv e a clear-cu t d istin ctio n b etw een w h at w e k n ow and w h at w e ta k e on tru st, and be carefu l to tran sfer into th e form er c a teg o ry only w h at is estab lish ed b y un qu estion ab le ev id en ce.

D o in g this, w e shall be slow to

assert o u r c o n v ictio n s d o g m a tica lly , and sh all b e e v e r rea d y , not m erely to to lera te, b u t to h old in respect e v e ry exp ression o f opinion b y oth ers. G . A . M a r s h a l l , F .T .S .

Wht JHajgxral ^pljflrisms 0f fajgeithts $btlal*tljÂŁs. T h is is th e P rim a l T ru th , T h is is th e U ltim a te T r u th . 1.

T h e P rim o rd ia l P o in t ex iste d before all th in g s ; not th e A to m ,

even M a th e m atica l, but D iffu sive. T h e M onad w a s E x p lic it. T h e M y riad w a s Im p licit. L ig h t ex isted , and so also D ark n e ss ; P rin cip le , and th e end o f P rin c ip le ; A ll th in gs and N o th in g ; it existed , and w a s also n on-existent. 2.

T h e M onad m oved its e lf in th e D y a d , and th rou gh th e T r ia d th e

F a c e s o f th e S eco n d L ig h t w ere prod u ced . 3.

S im p le F ir e ex iste d u n created , an d beneath th e w a te rs clo th e d

itse lf w ith a ga rm en t o f th e M u ltip lie d C re a te d F ire . 4.

H e looks b a c k upon th e S u p e rio r F o u n ta in and h as sealed the

inferior, o f a red u ced ty p e , w ith the T r ip le C ou n ten an ce. 5.

T h e U n ity h a s created O ne, and the T r in ity h as d istin gu ish ed it

into T h r e e , it b ecom es ev en a Q u a tern a ry, a conn exion and a m edium o f R ed u ctio n . 6.

W a te r at first shone forth from visib le th in g s ; th e F e m a le o f the

In cu b a tin g F ire , and th e P reg n a n t M other o f th in gs h a v in g form . 7.

T h e interior w a s porous and v a rio u s w ith its c o v e rin g s; w hose

B e lly w a s the R e v o lv in g sk ies and the in separab le S ta rs. 8.

T h e S ep a ra tin g C re ato r d ivid ed th is into v a st R egion s, a s th e

offsprin g w a s produced, the M other d isappeared . 9.

T h e M o th er ind eed b rou ght forth S h in in g S on s, flow ing o v er the

ea rth o f C h a i, L ife . 10.

T hese

gen erate

th e

M o th er

the

N ew est

form s,

w hose

F o u n ta in sin geth in the M iracu lou s G ro ve . 11.

T h is is th e F ou n d atio n o f w isdom , b e thou w ho thou c an st, thou

S te w a rd o f th e M ysteries, and D isclo ser. 12.

H e is th e F a th e r o f th e W h o le C reatio n , and th e F a th e r is

gen erated from th e C re a te d S on , b y the livin g a n a lysis o f th e Son. N o w thou hast th e high est M y ste ry o f th e G en eratin g C i r c l e : H e is th e Son o f th e S on , w ho w a s the F a th e r o f the Son. G lo ry b e to G o d alone.

Translated from the original Latin by W . Wynn Westcott, M .B ., Quod scis nescis.

Jrobkms of life FROM

“ TH E

D IA R Y

OLD

P H Y S I C I A N .”

B y N . I. PlROGOFF. (T ra n sla ted from the R u ssia n by H . P . B . )

I. T r a n s l a t o r ’s

P reface.

nlto ? V E R Y cu ltu red m an in E u ro p e and A m e rica is m ore or less fa m ilia r J jS j w ith D o c to r P irog ofF s nam e. A n d our readers perh ap s m ay rem em ber w h a t w a s said o f th is em inent R u ssian surgeon and p a th o lo gist in L u c i f e r o f A p ril last— in th e ed ito rial “ K osm ic M in d ." Som e qu otation s from his posthum ous M em oirs w ere b rou ght forw ard , to show h ow clo sely the v ie w s o f a g rea t m an of scien ce a p p roxim ated to the o ccu lt te a c h in g s o f T h e o s o p h y : e .g ., his id ea s on the u n iversa l m ind, “ infin ite and etern al, w h ich ru les and go vern s the O cea n o f L if e ,” and also on th a t b u gb ear o f the m a te ria lists— the ex iste n ce in e v e ry organism , a s also ou tside, in K osm o s, o f a d istin ct V ita l F o rce , indepen den t o f a n y ch em ical or p h y s ic a l p rocess. It w as lik e w ise stated , th at the posthum ous p u b lica tio n o f D o c to r P iro g o fF s D ia r y had raised a stir o f am azem ent am on g the R u ssian p u b lic, a n d — am ong th e D arw in ists and M a te ria lists, his ex -co lleag u es— qu ite a storm o f in d ign ation , as our em inent surgeon had h ith erto b een rega rd ed as an “ A g n o s tic ,” if not an out-and-ou t A th e ist of B u ch n e r’s S ch ool. S in c e then w e h a v e heard it sa id th a t a few lines quoted from a m an ’s w ritin g s p roved n othin g, and th at the T h e o so p h ists had no right to affirm th a t th eir vie w s had received corrob oratio n at the h and s o f su ch a w ellk n ow n m an o f scien ce. T h e re fo re , it has been d ecid ed to m ake len gth y selectio n s from th e tw o volu m es o f D o cto r P iro g o fF s M em oirs, and to publish th eir tran slatio n s in L u c i f e r . O f cou rse th e com p lete D ia r y can not be tran slated , in order to sa tisfy th e scep tics. N o r is it needed : as it is am p ly sufficient, in ord er to p rove our point, to tran slate o n ly th ose p a g es w h ich con tain the w rite r’s in tim ate th o u gh ts upon th e g rea t problem s o f m en. T h e s e , con sistin g o f d etach ed fragm en ts, it is inten ded to publish in a short series o f a rticles. M oreover, an a u to b io gra p h y in the sh ape o f a p riv a te d ia ry , in tersp ersed w ith an ecd otes abou t ev en ts and p eop le b elon gin g to a foreign co u n try , w ould in terest an E n g lish rea d er bu t little. A ll th is is a ttr a c tiv e to those o n ly w h o are fa m ilia r w ith the n am es m entioned, and of w h o se co u n try th e a u th or w a s for over a period o f th irty y e a rs the pride and glo ry . H e n c e o n ly su ch p ages o f th e “ D ia r y ” as b ear upon w h a t w e c a ll th eosop h ical and m eta p h ysica l questions, or w h ich are o f a p h ilo so p h ica l c h a ra cte r w ill be tran slated . T h e v a lu e o f such p a g es is en h an ced tenfold for us, as h a v in g been penned b y a m an o f scien ce, w hose g rea t lea rn in g w a s recogn ised b y all E u ro p e, and w h ose fam ous a c h ie v e m en ts in su rgery h a ve been so a p p reciated , th a t som e o f them h a ve becom e a u th o rita tiv e even in E n g la n d ,* a lw a y s so b a c k w a rd in reco gn isin g foreign — and e sp e c ia lly R u ssia n — m erit. B e fo re proceed in g w ith our selections, it m a y not b e out o f place, p e rh a p s, to sa y a few w ord s abou t th e author. N . I. PirogofF w a s born in N o ve m b e r, 1810, and died in th e sam e m on th o f th e y ea r 1881. H a v in g passed th e b est y e a rs o f h is you th in the U n iv e r s ity o f D o rp a t, th e v e ry hotbed o f G erm an freeth ou gh t d u rin g the • E .g ., the operation on the tarsus of the foot, called “ the Pirogoff Operation.”

y e a rs 1830-60, he w a s filled , as he h im self confesses, w ith th a t proud spirit o f all-d en ial, em b od ied b y G o eth e in his M ephisto. “ W h e re fo re ,” he w rites, in d escrib in g his sta te o f m ind in those e a rly d a ys, “ w herefore, and to w h at en ds need w e suppose the ex iste n ce o f a D e ity ? W h a t can it ex p la in in cosm ogen esis ? Is not m atter etern al, and should it not be so ? W h y then th is u seless h y p o th esis w h ich ex p la in s n oth in g ?” E lse w h ere, h o w ever, p ro b ab ly y ea rs after, trea tin g on the sam e su b ject, he w rites in a different s tr a in :— “ T h o u g h it w a s a great h ea th e n — der grosse H e id e — (as G o e th e w a s called ), w ho said th at he ta lk e d of G o d on ly w ith G od him self, y et I, a C h ristian , follow in g his a d v ice , also avoid ta lk in g o f m y in tim ate b e lie f and con viction s even w ith those n earest and d earest to m e : th e h o ly to th e h o ly .” T h is a cco u n ts for th e am azem en t exp erien ced b y those w ho kn ew D o cto r P iro g o ff m ost in tim a tely, w h en on read in g his po sth u m ou s D ia r y , th e y found th at he had b een an op pon en t o f religion on ly in its form s, in its ch urch and d o g m a s; bu t that ev er since h is th irty-n in th y e a r he h ad found w h at he had c ra v e d f o r : n am ely, faith in an a b stra ct, alm ost u n rea ch ab le id eal, a b so lu tely ou tside e v e ry form and ritu alism . H is w ritin g s show him to b e a m ost profound m y stic and ph ilosopher. F o u r y e a rs after his d eath , D o cto r P irogoft's w id o w and sons g a v e his p a p ers to be p u b lished , and the tw o vo lu m es from w h ich th e follow in g p a g es are tran slated w ere printed a t th e end o f 1887. T h e first volu m e con tain s in full the unfinished “ D ia r y o f an O ld P h y s ic ia n ,” and en ds in th e m iddle o f a sen ten ce, in terru p ted b y d ea th . A n ep igrap h on its title p a g e ex p la in s th a t the late au th or w rote it “ e x c lu siv e ly ” for him self, “ yet not w ith ou t a secret hope th a t, p erch a n ce, oth ers m ight read it too, som e d a y .” “ T h e perusal o f these posthum ous pap ers lead s one to th in k ,” adds th e R u ssian pu b lisher in his P refa ce, “ th at th is last w ork o f the au th or w as con n ected in his th o u gh ts w ith his e a rly p u b lic w ritin g s, as he ad d ed to his d iary , e tc., a su b -title a lre a d y used b y him some tw e n ty y e a rs before, in h ea d in g h is p h ilosoph ical essa y s, n am ely, ‘ T h e Q u estion s (or Problem s) o f L ife .’ ” B u t as th e latter, collected in vo lu m e I I , are alm ost a ll o f a social and ed u cation al rath er th an o f a m etap h ysica l ch a ra cte r, it is not proposed to trea t o f them for th e presen t. ON

A U T O B IO G R A P H IE S *

5TH N ovember , 1879. W h y are th ere so few a u tob iograp h ies ? W h y such a m istru st o f them ? S u re ly e v e ry one w ill agree w ith m e th a t th ere is no su b ject w o rth ier of atten tion than a cq u ain ta n ce w ith th e inner n atu re o f a th in k in g m an, even th ough he h as done n othin g to d istin gu ish him self in social life. T h e re is a profou nd in terest for us in th e com parison o f our ow n concep ts w ith those th a t gu id e our fellow -m an in his life-jou rn ey. N o one d en ies this; y e t it is an old h a b it w ith us to learn all w e can abou t oth ers, throu gh others. M o re is b elieved o f w h a t is said o f a m an b y another m an, th a n o f w hat h is ow n actio n s su g g est.

T h is is ju rid ic a lly t r u e ; and th ere are no other

m eans o f finding out a ju rid ic a l, i.e ., an ou tw ard fa c t.

E v e n th e m odern

p h ysician is gu id ed in h is d iagn o sis b y o b jectiv e sym p to m s, th a t w hich he h im se lf sees, hears, and senses, rath er th an b y w h a t h is p a tie n t tells him .

* treated-

Ths headings are added by the translator to separate the philosophical subjects herein

B e sid e s m istru st, th ere are, I th in k , oth er reasons for th e s c a r c ity o f au tob iogra p h ies. T h e r e are too few people re a d y to w rite th em .

Som e h a ve

no tim e, w h ile a l i v e ; oth ers find little in terest in, and w ould rath er not look b a c k an d reco llect, th eir p a st; others a g a in — and th ese are am on g th e m ost th o u gh tfu l— b elieve th a t h a v in g pu b lish ed oth er w orks, th ere is no need to w rite abou t th e m s e lv e s ; th ere are also those w ho h a v e re a lly nothing, to s a y o f th em selves, as th ere are others w h o w ill do it for them .

F in a lly ,

m an y a re d eterred from w ritin g th eir lives throu gh fear and all k in d s o f oth er reasons.

V e r y n atu ra lly , in our d a y o f scep ticism , confidence in

open confession h as d ecreased still m ore than in th e tim es o f Jean Jacq u es R o u ssea u .

It is w ith a sm ile of d istru st th at w e read n ow his bold s ta te

m ent (w hich I so m uch ad m ired , on ce upon a t im e ) :— “ Q u e la trompette du ju g em en t dernier sonne quand e lk voudra, j e viendrai, ce liv re h la m ain, devant le Souverain J u g t , et j e d ir a i : voilh ce que j e f a i s , ce que j e fits , ce que j e p en sa is."

B u t a m odern a u to b io g ra p h y need not be a confession before th e S o vereign J u d g e ; nor has th e O m n iscien t a n y need o f our c o n fe ssio n ; y e t no m ore o u gh t a m odern a u to b io g ra p h y to be a k in d o f ju rid ic a l a c t, w ritten in a ccu sa tio n or in d efen ce o f self, b efore th e so cia l trib u n al.

It is not

e x te rn al tru th alone, but th e u n veilin g o f a ll th e inner tru th before one’ s ow n self, an d w ith no o b ject o f self-con dem nation or self-ju stificatio n , such m ust be th e aim o f th e a u to b io g ra p h y o f e v e ry th in k in g m an.

It is not

th e rea d er he has to acq u ain t w ith h is personage, b u t first o f a ll to m ake his ow n

con sciousn ess fam iliar

w ith

him self.

And

th is

m eans

th a t

the

a u to b io gra p h er has to m ake plain , through th e a n a ly sis o f his ow n actions, their m otives and o b jects, th e la tter b ein g but too often profou ndly hidden in th e innerm ost recesses o f his sou l, and , th erefore, in com p rehen sible even to him self, let alone to a ll oth ers. B u t n ow , a q u e r y : is th e au tob iogra p h er a b le to sp eak th e tru th about his, and to him , past m o tiv es ?

C a n he a p p rec ia te at its tru e v a lu e

th a t w h ich on ce gu id ed his a ctio n s ?

C a n he feel certain th at his con cep ts

w ere such a s he d escrib es them , and not of another kin d , at th a t g iv en m om ent o f his existen ce ? I b elieve th a t th ese q u estion s m ust b e solved v a rio u sly in a cco rd an ce w ith the fa cu lties, ch a ra cte r, an d in d iv id u a lity o f ea ch w riter.

F o r one sure

o f h im self w ith o u t a n y v a n ity , there m ust ex ist also a firm con viction th a t it w a s ju st such a v ie w and no oth er, th a t gu id ed him w h en he p erp etrated th is or th a t actio n .

A n d if I feel sure th a t he sp ea k s th e tru th , co n cea lin g

n othin g, w h a t m ore, then , can I ex p ec t ?

S h ou ld , then, a m an w ho w ou ld

learn th e m otives o f m y a ctio n s, and m y id ea s a t th e tim e w hen I did them , b elieve others an d h im self m ore than he should m y se lf ?

H e , or anyon e

else, can ju d g e o f the inner m ech an ism w h ich p rop elled m y actio n s, on ly b y those sam e a ctio n s, or the evid en ce o f oth er persons ; and a n y opinions form ed, b y our d eeds and secon d -han d testim on y con cern in g th e hidden, inn er m echanism o f the form er, d em and a certain con fo rm ity an d m ust

ad m it o f no c o n tra d ic tio n s ; though indeed w e a ll k n ow b y ex p erie n ce that v e ry often ou r deeds co n tra d ict our ow n con cep tion s, b eliefs and c o n v ic tions.

V e r y freq u en tly too, our gra n d est deeds are ca lled forth b y the w e a k

est m otives, an d in v e r s e ly ; th erefore in ou r c a se even con fo rm ity o f te sti m ony can not be a lw a y s a g u aran tee for th e real inner tru th . H o w can th a t critic a l a n a lysis o f our ow n a cts and m otives, so difficult ev en for ou rselves, be said to be m ore a ccessib le to oth ers, w h o are en tirely un fam iliar w ith our inner m en tal life ? V e r y tru e, it does h app en som etim es, th a t a stra n g er, a h eart-reader, m ay g u ess b e tte r and m ore c o rrectly than w e can ou rselv es w hy w e h ave a cted so and not oth erw ise a t som e g iv en m om ent o f our life.

It is true

again th a t none o f us is a ju d g e o f h im se lf; but to d isco ver th e m otive of ou r actio n s, a m otive J unknow n to ou rselves, can b e done on ly in tw o cases : firstly, w hen w e dissem ble and rem ain secretiv e before our ow n “ I " ; an d secon d ly, w h en w e h a v e done som eth ing in a m om ent o f forgetfu ln ess or o f irresistib le im pulse, and w ith o u t h a v in g a scertain ed , b eforehand , that w h ich w a s ta k in g p la ce w ith in us, at the tim e, an d w ith ou t one sin gle in trosp ective g la n ce.

A n d su p p osin g the prin ciple th a t no one can b e his

ow n ju d g e be tru e, still it is so on ly so far as ex te rn a l tru th is con cern ed — ju rid ic a l tru th ; a m a gistrate or an atto rn ey-g en eral, can o f cou rse exp ose a h y p o crite or a liar m ore ea sily than th e la tte r w ou ld do so him self.

But

w ith regard to the inner tru th , w hen w e are neither h y p o crites n or liars, there can be no b etter or m ore com peten t ju d g e s than w e ou rselves.

Thus

the w hole question depen ds on th a t is s u e : w ho is the w riter, w ho la y s open before u s h is inner, s o u l-life ; and an opinion on th is, to sa y the lea st, is as difficult to form , a s the opinion o f a stran ger, who u n dertakes th e d u ty of la y in g open, before the w orld, th e inner life o f som e p u b lic ch a ra cte r.

E ven

if the la tter h as been, at tim es, con fessed ly to a ll, a h y p o crite and a lia r, th is does not at all prove th at he h as e v e r been su ch .

T h e r e are c a se s in

our liv e s so fertile in con trad ictio n s, th at it is precisely a liar and a h y p o crite w ho, at certain m om ents o f h is life b ecom es m ore c ap ab le o f sp e a k in g the tru th abou t h im self than a n y oth er people w ho had know n him o n ly e x te rn a lly , as he a p p eared .

T h e r e is no m ore con trad iction in th is, th a n

there is in th e fact, th at a b ase m an is som etim es c ap ab le o f the n oblest deed, and th at the m ost honest o f m en com m its at tim es the b asest o f a ctio n s. F o r w hom , and w h y do I w rite a ll th is ?

U p o n m y co n s cie n c e — a t

th is m om ent o n ly for m y se lf alone, out o f som e u n a cco u n ta b le

in n er

n ecessity, th o u gh w ith ou t the least desire o f k eep in g secret from oth ers th a t w h ich I w rite.

T h o u g h I h a ve the id ea o f w ritin g a b ou t m y s e lf fo r

m yself, and h a v e d eterm in ed not to p u b lish th is d u rin g m y life, y e t I h a v e n oth in g a gain st oth er people rea d in g th ese memoirs w hen I am n o m ore. A n d th is— w ith m y hand on m y h ea rt— not b ecau se, w h ile I am s till livin g , I d read criticism , or b ein g la u g h ed a t, or not rea d at a ll.

No !

th ough I h a v e no sm all sh are o f v a n ity , and do not rem ain in sen sib le t Q

the w o rld ’s p raise, y e t m y amour propre is m ore o f an inn er th an of an outer kind. M o reover, I am an eg o tistica l se lf-d e v o u re r* ; and therefore, d read m yself, lest th e d escrip tion o f m y inn er sta te, read in the h ea rin g o f all, should be m istak en b y m e for v a n ity , for a d esire to pose for o rig in ality , and th a t a ll th is should in its turn d a m age th at inner tru th I w ou ld fain p reserve in

its grea te st

p u rity in

th ese m em oirs.

A s a self-devourer,

h o w e ver, I k n o w th at it is im p ossible to be a b so lu tely sin cere w ith oneself, even w hen liv in g w ith in , and w ith , th at S elf, on a b so lu tely op en -h earted term s.

O c ca sio n a lly an d w ith o u t a n y ap p a ren t cau se for it, one is b eset

b y th o u gh ts so b ase and foul, th a t, at th eir b are a p p e a ra n c e , as th ey em erge from th e secret ch am b ers o f one’s soul, one feels b u rn in g w ith sham e, and a lm o st p ersu ad ed at tim es th a t these th o u gh ts a re not on e’s ow n, but are su g gested b y som eone else— b y th a t b asest o f b ein gs that lives in ea ch o f u s .f

It is, a s th e A p o stle P a u l said lo n g a g o , one does

not w a n t to do e v il, b u t does it u n w ittin g ly.

A gra n d tru th , th is !

A n d it

is our th o u gh ts, ou r m en tal sta te s th at b rin g it out m ost p rom in en tly. O n e does not w an t to th in k fou lly, and y e t one does it— and w oe to him w ho does not gu ard h im self from it in the v e ry b egin n in g, w ho fails to p e rceiv e and c a tch h im self in so d o in g and th u s stop in tim e. T h u s, as so m an y oth ers, I can n o t, h o w ever stro n g ly I m ay desire it, eith er in the past or in th e p resen t, turn m y inn er life insid e out before m e. W ith rega rd

to th e P a s t, I am o f cou rse u n ab le to g u aran tee before

m y se lf th a t m y co n cep t o f th in gs w a s a t a certain m om ent o f m y life, ju st a s it seem s to me n ow .

A n d , in conn ection w ith th e presen t, I cannot

s w ea r th a t I h a v e su cceed ed in c a tch in g th e c h ie f fea tu re, th e real esse o f m y presen t con cep ts.

T h is is a d ifficult affair.

O n e h as to tra c e th e red

th rea d th rou gh a ll the en tan gled b u nd le o f d ou b ts and co n tra d ictio n s, w h ich a rise ev ery tim e w hen one see k s to m ake th e g u id in g th read m ore clear. A n d h ere I am , w ish in g to exam in e for m y self and th rough m yself, m y l i f e ; to m ake up the sum o f m y a sp iratio n s and w orld co n cep ts (in th e p lu ral, as I had sev eral such) and to a n a ly ze the m otives o f m y p a st a ctio n s.

B u t sto p !

S to p a t th e s t a r t !

D o I re a lly w ish to w rite but for m y self ?

D o not I d issem b le w ith m y self? E v e n if I h a v e d ecid ed to le a v e

th a t w h ich I h a ve w ritten o f m yself, u n p u b lish ed d u rin g m y lifetim e, do I not, n everth eless, d esire th a t it sh ould be read som e d a y b y certain persons, s a y , for in stan ce, b y m y ch ild ren and a few friends. to read th is.

M y w ife w ill b e sure

A n d if I h a v e no su ch d esire, I still cre a te th e re b y a cau se

for posing, for co n cea lin g th is an d the oth er, and for colou rin g fa cts before th o se n earest to m e.

T h is is the first th o u gh t th a t en ters a self-absorbed

c a n n ib a l’s head.

* In the sense of self-absorption or self-engrossment. f The thoughts of the lower self or “ personality,” a being distinct from us, truly ; the indweller of the man of flesh and but too often the sorry shadow of the true and higher Self and Ego I [Trans. ]

It is bu t righ t it sh ould be so.

A s lon g a s th is is k ept in v ie w , th ere

is hope for an efficient cou n teraction .

S elf-d evo u rin g, alone, w ou ld n eve r

a llo w m e to lose sigh t o f m y se lf d u rin g th is w ork w ith m y s e lf ; and if I w a tch , I shall n otice and c a tch m y se lf trip p in g, and so w ill stop and a llo w no op p ortu n ity for a n y d issem b lin g or secretiven ess. H o w ev e r, I know b efo re hand th a t I do not w ish to b e c y n ica lly sin cere, even w ith m yself. n ess is not on ly for show .

C le a n li

It is b etter to la y aside, w ith ou t to u ch in g th em

and su b jectin g them to a n a lysis, our c y n ica l a ctio n s in life— b ette r, for on e’s ow n s a k e ; oth erw ise, one m ight find on eself in the sew e rs o f th e sou l, an d by u n closin g them , con tam in ate even th a t w h ich it is m ost d esirab le to le a v e im m acu late, and a s pure a s it is in r e a lity .

A ll o f u s h a v e q u ite

en ough m ud a t th e bottom o f our so u ls; and if b y d escen d in g to th a t bottom w e on ce stir it up, it w ill becom e w ell-n igh im possible ev en for o u r se lv e s to d istin gu ish the clean

from th e u n clean .

B u t, if it w a s

su ch

cyn icism and soul-filth th a t w a s th e m otive o f a n y actio n , th a t had in fluen ced a ll our after-life, then w e h a v e no ch oice, and w e are forced to descen d even into th ese v e ry sew ers. B u t, am I a b le to w rite a b ou t m yself— for m y self ? O n e q u e ry m ore— w h a t are th e cond itions for th is ? T h e c h ie f condition is, a full sin cerity w ith oneself. O n e th in g on ly can I sa y , a n d it is, th a t I h a ve n eve r been secretiv e w ith m y s e lf; for there are people w ho are less sin cere w ith th e m selve s th a n th ey a re w ith o th ers.

I do not b elon g to th e la tter c a teg o ry , th o u g h it d id

h ap p en , th a t I confessed certain th in gs to m yself, o n ly after h a v in g been fran k a b ou t them w ith oth ers.

It is w hen ta lk in g op en ly to oth ers a b o u t

th in gs done, th a t one b egin s to b ette r rea lize th a t w h ich ta k e s p la ce w ith in m y s e lf;

an d it is often p ossible to learn it w ell, o n ly w h en d iscu ssin g

on eself w ith an oth er person.

A n d it so h ap p en s th a t one feels a sh a m ed

to confess to o n ese lf th a t w hich w eig h s on th e sou l, and one a v o id s it, u n til, as if b y ch an ce (thou gh not a ll b y “ c h a n c e,” eith er), as in som e fit o f c y n ica l sin cerity , one b lu rts out to anoth er person th a t, w h ich one h a d h ith erto so ca refu lly con cealed even from oneself. T h e D ia r y then, w h ich I am n ow w ritin g , is d estin ed , in e v e ry c a s e o f in sin cerity w ith m yself, to o c c u p y th e p la c e o f su ch a sp on tan eou s co n fe s sion, or a co n versa tio n w ith a secon d p e r s o n ; th e paper rep la ce s the la tte r : a w ritin g , even on e’s ow n , feels m ore o b je c tiv e than a m en tal d ialogu e w ith oneself.

W e becom e b old er before ou rselves, w h en w e w rite, and th e

p rocess, m oreover, k eep s th o u gh ts in order, p rev en tin g th em from w a n d e r in g and sc a tte rin g on e v e ry sid e.

W h ile w ritin g , th e m ain th o u gh t b e c o m e s

lik e unto a th rea d , and it sp in s out easier from th e b rain , th an it d o e s d u rin g our m en tal reflection s alone. H e n c e in th is D ia r y , I hop e to b e a s sin cere, y e a , and fa r sin ce re r e v e n , w ith m yself, th an in m y m ost h e a rty effusions, even w ith those n e a re s t a n d d ea rest to m e.

(T o be continued.)

A lik e for those w h o for t o - d a y prep are, A n d th o s e t h a t a fte r so m e t o - m o r r o w s ta r e , A M u ezzin from th e T o w e r o f D ark n ess cries, “ F o o ls ! y o u r R e w ard is n either H e re nor T h e r e .” W h y , all the S a in ts and S a g e s w h o d iscu ss'd O f the T w o W o rld s so w isely — th e y are th ru st L ik e foolish P ro p h e ts forth ; th eir W o rd s to S co rn A re s c a tte r ’d and th e ir M o u th s are sto p t w ith D u st. M y se lf w hen y o u n g d id e a g e rly frequent D o c to r and S a in t, and h eard g rea t argu m en t A b o u t it and a b o u t : bu t everm ore C am e out b y th e sam e door w h ere in I w en t.

W ith them th e seed o f W isd o m did I sow , A n d w ith m ine ow n hand w rou gh t to m ake it g r o w ; A n d th is w a s all th e H a rv e s t th a t I re a p ’d— “ I cam e like W a te r , and lik e W in d I g o .” In to th is U n iv erse, an d W h y not k n o w in g N o r W hence, lik e W a te r w illy -n illy flo w in g ; A n d ou t o f it, as W in d a lo n g the W a s te , I k n ow not W h ith e r , w illy -n illy b lo w in g .

W h a t, w ith ou t a sk in g, hith er hurried W hence ? A n d , w ith o u t a sk in g, W h ith e r h u rried hence ! O h , m an y a C u p o f th is forbidden W in e M ust drqw n th e m em ory o f th a t insolence ! U p from E a r th ’s C en tre throu gh th e S ev en th G a te I rose, and on th e T h ro n e o f S atu rn sa te A n d m an y a knot u n ra v e l’d b y the R o a d ; B u t not the M aster-k n o t o f H u m an F a te . T h e r e w a s the D o o r to w h ich I found no k e y ; T h e r e w as th e V e il th rou gh w h ich I m ight not see : S om e little ta lk a w h ile o f m e and t h e k T h e r e w a s— and then no m ore o f t h e e and m e . E a rth cou ld not a n s w e r ; nor th e S e a s th a t m ourn In flo w in g P u rp le , o f th eir L o rd forlorn ; N o r rollin g H e a v en , w ith all h is sig n s re v e a l’d A n d hidden b y th e sla v e o f N ig h t and M orn. T h e n o f the t h e e in m e w ho w orks behind T h e V e il, I lifted up my h ands to find A L a m p am id the D a r k n e s s ; and I heard, A s from W ith o u t— “ t h e m e w it h in t h e e b l i n d ! ”

’T is bu t a T e n t (the B o d y) w h ere ta k e s h is one d a y ’s rest A S u ltan to th e realm o f D e a th a d d r e s t; T h e S u ltan rises, and th e d a rk F e r r is h S trik e s, and p rep ares it for anoth er G u es t.

A n d fear not lest E x iste n c e clo sin g y ou r A c c o u n t, and m ine, should k n ow the like no m ore T h e E te rn a l S lk i from th e B o w l h as poured M illion s o f B u b b le s like us, and w ill pour. W h e n Y o u and I behind the V e il are past, O h , but th e long, lon g w h ile the W o rld sh a ll last, W h ic h o f ou r C o m in g and D ep artu re heeds A s the S e a ’s se lf should heed a p eb b le-cast. A M om ent’s H a lt— a m om en tary ta ste O f b e i n g from the W e ll am id th e W a s te — A n d L o ! th e ph an tom C a ra v a n h as reached T h e n o t h in g it set ou t from — O h , m ake h a s t e ! W o u ld you th at sp an gle o f E x iste n c e spend A b o u t t h e s e c r e t — q u ick a b ou t it, F rie n d ! A H a ir p erh ap s d ivid es th e F a ls e and T ru e A n d upon w h a t, p rithee, d oes life d epend ? A H a ir p erh a p s d ivid es the F a ls e and T r u e ; Y e s ; and a sin gle A lif w ere th e clu e— C ou ld you b u t find it— to the T rea su re-h o u se, A n d p erad ven tu re to t h e m a s t e r t o o ; W h o s e secret P resen ce, throu gh C re a tio n ’s vein s R u n n in g Q u ic k silv er-lik e elu d es y o u r p a in s ; T a k in g a ll sh ap es from M ih to M a h i; and T h e y ch an ge and perish a ll— bu t H e r e m a in s ; A m om ent g u ess’d— then b a ck b eh in d the F o ld N um erst o f D a rk n e ss round th e D ra m a roll’d W h ic h , for th e P a stim e o f E te r n ity , H e d oth H im s e lf con trive, en a ct, b eh old .

............................................................................... t I sent m y S o u l throu gh the In visib le, Som e le tte r o f th a t A fter-life to s p e l l : A n d b y and b y m y S o u l retu rn ’d to m e, A n d a n sw e r’d, “ I m y se lf am H e a v ’n and H e ll ” : H e a v ’ n but the V isio n o f fulfill’d D esire, A n d H e ll th e S h a d o w from a S ou l on fire C a s t on the D a rk n e ss into w h ich O u rselv e s, S o la te em e rg ’d from , sh all so soon ex p ire. W e are no o th er than a m ovin g row O f M a g ic S h a d o w -sh ap es th at com e and go R o u n d w ith th e S u n -illu m in ’d L a n te rn held In M id n igh t b y th e M a ster o f th e S h o w ; B u t h elp less P ie c e s o f th e G a m e he p la y s U p o n th is C h eq u er-b oard o f N ig h ts and D a y s ; H ith e r and th ith er m oves, and c h ec k s, and sla ys, A n d one b y one b a c k in th e C loset la y s. T h e B a ll no qu estion m akes o f A y e s or N o es, B u t H e re or T h e r e as strik es th e P la y e r g o e s ; A n d H e th a t to ss’d you dow n into the F ie ld , H e k n o w s abou t it a ll— h e k n o w s— H E k n ow s !

T h e M o v in g F in g e r w r it e s ; and, h a v in g w rit, M o ves o n : nor all y ou r P ie ty nor W it S h a ll lure it b a c k to ca n ce l n a if a L in e , N o r a ll y ou r te a rs w ash out a W o r d o f it. A n d th a t in verted B o w l th ey c a ll the S k y , W h e reu n d er c ra w lin g co o p ’d w e liv e and die, L ift not you r h and s for I t for h elp — for It A s im p o ten tly m oves a s you or I. W ith E a r th ’s first c la y T h e y d id the L a s t M an knead, A n d th ere o f th e L a s t H a rv e s t so w ’d the S eed : A n d the first M orning o f C reatio n w rote W h a t the L a s t D a w n o f R e ck o n in g shall read.

A n d this I k n o w : w h eth er the one T r u e L ig h t K in d le to L o v e , or W rath -co n su m e me quite, O n e F la s h o f It w ithin the ta ve rn cau g h t B e tte r than in th e T e m p le lost o u trigh t. ‘

( F ro m

F itzg e r a ld 's

T ra n sla tion .)

A ll th in gs created S p eak o f him on ly C am e out o f chaos, A s “ T a o u ”— P erfect R eason ; B efo re h eaven and earth w ere T h u s in one w ord N a u g h t but deep silen ce In clu d in g his a ttr ib u te s : R eig n ed o’er a void H e , the a ll-P o w erfu l, O f en d less im m en sity— H e , the a ll-K n o w in g , D e a d , for no b reath T h e a ll-P e rv a d in g O f life h a d y e t b reath ed there, E v e r E x iste n t. T h e n H e , tn e infinite, In finite, B ou nd less, P e rfe c t, Im m utab le, N e a r— y et, so far off. M o ved through th is n othingness,— M an ’s law s are ea rth ly, H e , th e C reato r, N a tu re ’s are H e a v e n -b o r n ; T h e M other o f a ll thin gs, Y e t one and both com e I, in m y ign oran ce, A lik e from G re a t T a o u , K n o w in g no n am e for him , T h e la w to h im self— T h e cen tre o f a ll law . C o n f u c i u s (A le x a n d e r ’s T ra n s.) r u s t th y s e lf! E v e r y h eart v ib ra te s to th at iron strin g. A c c e p t th e p la ce th e D iv in e P ro v id e n c e has found for you, th e so ciety o f y ou r con tem poraries, the con n exion o f even ts. G re a t m en h a v e a lw a y s done so, an d confid ed th em selves ch ild lik e to th e gen iu s o f their age, b etra y in g th eir percep tion th a t the E te rn a l w a s stirrin g a t their heart, w o rk in g th rou gh their hand s, p red om in atin g their being. A n d w e are n ow m en, and m u st a cc e p t in the sam e sp irit th e sam e tran scen d en t d e s tin y ; a n d not p in ch ed in a corner, not c o w a rd s fleein g b efore a revo lu tion , bu t redeem ers and b en efacto rs, pio u s asp iran ts to b e n oble c la y p la s tic under the A lm ig h ty effort, let us a d v a n c e and a d va n ce on ch ao s and the d a r k !

m erso n .

------+— “ I f yo u w ould escap e ve x a tio n , reprove y o u rself lib e ra lly and others sp arin g ly .” C o n f u c iu s.

fUbutas. — :o:— C O N F U C I U S , T H E G R E A T T E A C H E R .* T m T N D E R th is head in g, w e h a v e in a little over three hundred pages, the (L A I ) result o f researches com m enced m ore than forty y ea rs a go. A very ^ difficult, and to m ost readers, “ d r y ” su b ject has been handled in such a w a y , as to m ake the book ex ceed in gly interestin g from b egin nin g to end. T h e short glim pses w e are allow ed of C h in ese poetry, m ake us feel th a t the author h as tran slated v e ry sk ilfu lly , and created a w ish for m ore. T o the student o f other system s o f religion, it b ecom es evid en t that, eith er th e old teach in g w h ich C on fu ciu s reviv ed w a s com m on to a ll, or, that these different system s con tin u ally m odified each o th e r ; the form er o f these suppositions is prob ab ly the m ost held. T h e birth sign s, am ongst w hich “ celestial strains ” m ust not be om itted, are su g gestive , ta k in g into con sid era tion those relatin g to th e birth o f C h rist, and B u d d h a. A n in terestin g question, a s to certain anim als b ein g ex tin ct or fabu lou s, is raised b y the author, w h ich w ill h a ve esp ecial a ttraction for stu d en ts of “ T h e Secret D o c tr in e ." T h e accou n t o f C on fu ciu s learn ing M u s ic also w ill not be w ith ou t suggestion . “ . . . th e va lu e o f m usic had, h ow ever, no claim to origin ality. It belonged to a tradition alm ost as ancient as the em pire ; for so far b a c k as the d a ys o f the E m p eror S h u n , even birds and b ea sts w ere said to h a v e been brought into subjection through its in flu en ce.” A n d again C on fu ciu s s a y s : “ It is im possible for a viciou s m an to be a good m u sician .” T h a t C on fu ciu s had an esoteric doctrine w hich he ta u gh t on ly to the w ell-tested o f his discip les is h igh ly p ro b a b le ; sp eakin g o f th e Y ih -K in g , G en era l A lex a n d e r sa y s, . . . “ it is still regarded b y the C h in ese literati as the arcan um o f all K n o w le d g e ; and som e o f them even assert th at, to the in itiated , there is no m odern scien tific inven tion w hich is not to be found in it.” T h e book is w ell w orth readin g, and w ill serve as a useful introduction to deeper stu d y , for som e, and con vey su g g estive h in ts to others. “ S .”

F R A N C I S B A C O N versus P H A N T O M

C A P T A IN

S H A K E S P E A R E .f

H E ob ject o f th is w ork is, a cco rd in g to the p reface, to re-inforce the evid en ce in favou r o f M r. D o n n e lly ’s B a c o n ia n th eory o f the a u th o r ship o f S h a k e sp ea re's p la y s . O u r author b egin s b y c o n stru ctin g from B a c o n ’s w orks w h at m igh t be c a lle d a B a co n ia n m ind ; and sh o w s h ow it finds its faith fu l reflection in S h a k e sp e a re ’s p la y s. H e then in stitu tes p a rallels b etw een R o sicru cia n literatu re and L o r d B a c o n ’s w ritin g s, so as to illu stra te h ow the p o etic lan g u a g e and b rig h t im ag in in gs o f the p la y w rig h t are bu t the garm en t o f R o sicru cia n thou ght. In the last c h a p te r B a c o n , as a R o sicru cia n , loom s upon us from the d istan t p a st a s a true m y stic w h o in his A tla n tis had in tu ition s o f oth er ra ces and tim es w h ich in our d a y h a v e been put into clearer lan gu a g e in the Secret D o c tr in e ; w hile

* By Major-General G. G. A l e x a n d e r , C.B. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Limited. t By W. F. G. Wigstone.

throughout the book th e profou nd m ean in g w h ich n atu ra lly fell to th e w ord s and p h ra ses o f S h a k e sp e a re ’s p la y s w hen traced b a ck to an origin in th e id eas o f F lu d d , B a c o n , and T h o m a s V a u g h a n , are o f g rea t interest. In deed these m eanin gs, w ou n d from th e rh yth m o f S h a k e sp ea rea n verse into th e solid w isd om o f B a co n ia n lore, should p ro v e eq u ally in terestin g to the lo ve r o f and b elieve r in the b ard w e kn ew before D o n n elly and W ig s to n e cam e to d istu rb our fa ith , as to those th a t see in him on ly a “ P h an tom C a p ta in S h a k e sp e a re .” H o w far our a u th or h as su cceed ed in d isp rovin g the ex iste n ce o f th e P o et in fa vo u r o f th a t o f the P h ilo so p h er the p u b lic w ill b e a b le to ju d g e .

THE

A G N O S T IC

A N N U A L .*

R . C h a rle s A . W a t t s p resen ts us w ith a rea d a b le 72 p ages in the n ew A n n u a l, not h o w ever th a t w e agree w ith the A g n o stic position in an y d egree or recogn ise su ch a profanation o f the term G n o stic as con tain ed in th e sen ten ce “ the orth od ox G n o stic or C h ristian th e ist.” E v e r y shad e o f A g n o stic ism is represented and d efin itions o f th e term g iv en , v a r y in g from the H u x le ia n d ictu m “ A g n o sticism sa y s th a t w e know n othin g o f w h at m a y b e b eyond p h en o m en a,” to the ad van ced ph ilosop h y of S ala d in , w ho w rites : “ I recogn ise no A g n o stic ism th a t is in doubt as to ‘ w h eth er th ere is a G o d or n o t,’ and ‘ w h eth er th e soul is im m ortal or n ot.’ T h e b asis o f th e A g n o stic ph ilosop h y is p s y c h ic M o n is m ; its p rocess is u n itary d evolu tion , the co n v erg in g o f all, the unification o f all, w ith the P a n -th eo s." T o n otice e sp e c ia lly one or tw o o f the p a p e r s ; M r. S am u el L a in g ’s “ A n A g n o stic V ie w o f the B ib le ” is b u ilt en tirely on a false b asis as rega rd s the cen tra l position, thou gh his criticism s a s fa r as th ey go are useful and a thorn in th e orth od o x flesh. '1 he p a p er by R . B ith e ll, B . S c ., P h . D ., is in terestin g as g iv in g th e “ F u n d a m en ta l T h e s e s of A g n o stic ism .” T h e y are said to be :— I. T h e foundation o f a ll certa in ty is a F e e l i n g o r S e n s a t io n . I I . W h e n our a tten tion is d irected to our feelin gs, it g iv e s rise to C o n s c i o u s n e s s ; and an y feelin g or sen sation on w hich our atten tion is stead ily fixed is a F a c t o f C o n s c i o u s n e s s . I I I . T h e fa cts o f consciou sness, w h en a ccu m u lated and stored b y the m em ory, con stitu te K n o w l e d g e . " I V . A ll K n o w l e d g e is R e l a t i v e : it is the percep tion o f the relatio n s b etw een our personal consciou sness and the universe. V . B e l i e f is the tru st w e p la ce in our ju d gm en t on m atters concern in g w h ich our k n ow led g e is incom p lete. V I . F a it h is the nam e w e a p p ly to those b eliefs th a t are so strong as to en list the co-operation o f th e w ill. T h e second th e sis o f th is five-sen se ph ilosop h y is e sp e c ia lly rem ark ab le : w h en , h ow ever, w e are con sciou s o f b ein g consciou s, th in gs seem rath er m ixed . T h e au thor o f “ A g n o sticism and th e C h u rch o f E n g la n d ” d iscred its h isju d g m e n t and inform ation b y th e ju m b le d and false statem ent, “ those d ark sisters, h u m an ity-n egatin g T h eo so p h y and S piritu alism ” ; th is is h ard ly “ A g n o sticism ” in one sense, tho u gh p e rfe ctly so in another. T h e rest o f the A n n u a l am ong oth er thin gs con tain s a review of L u x M u n d i and tw o p a p e rs en titled I s A gn osticism Sou n d , in th e second of w h ich S a la d in telescopes the vie w s o f D r. C a ru s as set forth in th e first.

“ 1891, London : \V. Stewart & Co., Farringdon Street, E.C.

T h is n ovel m a y b e b riefly ch ara cte rise d as a sch ool-girl’s d ay-d ream o f th eosop h y. It is d ou b tless not m eant for seriou s criticism , b u t o n ly for rom an tic yo u n g people o f a m y stical ten d en cy. T h e ste m a ctu a lity o f the m atter g iv e s p lace to an im agined creed d ish ed up w ith a ll th at is b eau tifu l, learned and w ea lth y . T h e rin gs form ed b y the stone throw n into the w orld-pond fifteen y ea rs ago, are indeed w id en in g out and g e ttin g tow ards the s h a llo w s ! T H E R IG -V E D A -S A M H IT A . M O S T im p o rta n t w ork h a s ju s t issu ed from th e press b y our learned broth er T o o k a ra m T a t y a , the m a n a gin g d irecto r an d m ovin g spirit o f th e B o m b a y T h e o so p h ica l P u b lica tio n F u n d . It is no less an u n d e rtak in g th an a new edition o f th e “ R ig -V e d a -S a m h ita ” w ith th e w ellknow n B h a s h y a or C o m m en ta ry o f S a y a n a c h a r y a . T h e u n d e rtak in g has been one o f v e ry g rea t d ifficu lty but has h a p p ily been b ro u g h t to a su ccessfu l issue. I t offers the follow in g a d v a n ta g e s w h ich m ake it b y fa r th e best edition th a t h as y e t a p p eared . (а) It h as been d ivid ed into eigh t vo lu m es, ea ch c o m p risin g an A sh ta k a , so th a t th e size o f ea ch is h a n d y ; it h as been p rin ted on superior p ap er w ith ty p e sp ec ia lly cast for i t ; and w ith a l, the p rice h as been fixed at th e v e ry low figu re o f R s . 50 (about £ $ 15s.) per c o p y , i.e ., only R s. 6^ p er volu m e, e x c lu siv e o f po stage. (б) T h e S am h ita and P a d a te x ts o f th e V e d a as w ell as the te x t o f the B h a s h y a h a v e been carefu lly collated w ith m anu scrip ts ob tain ed from the P a n d its o f B en a res, P oon a, and R a tn ag iri, and also from the L ib ra rie s o f the B o m b a y B ra n ch R o y a l A sia tic S o c iety , and th e D e c c a n C o llege , P oon a. (c) C opiou s notes h ave been given to illu strate the m eanin g o f the B h a s h y a , from the A ite re y a and T a ite r iy a B ra h m an a s, N iru k ta , M im ansa, and oth er w orks, as also to point out th e v a ria lectiones. (d) T o the m ain w ork are ad ded S u tra s o f P an in i, U n ad i, and P h it S u tras, B rih a d rig vid h a n a and the P isish ish th a , w hich are essen tial for a cle a r com prehension in m an y p la ce s and are, therefore, appended for conven ien ce and reference. T h e w ork is indeed a m arvel o f ch eapn ess and both on th is accou n t and for its oth er a d v a n ta g e s o f te x t and reliab le n ative sch olarsh ip , should rap id ly find its w a y into the sh elves o f all S an sk rit sch olars and p u b lic libraries. W h e n it is rem em bered th a t the origin al price o f P rofessor M a x M u ller’s edition w as £ 1 2 and th a t it now fetch es n ea rly tw ice as m u ch , it w ill ea sily be seen w h at a boon M r. T o o k a ra m T a t y a h as conferred on lovers o f S an sk rit learn ing. T h e R ig -V e d a is p ro b ab ly the oldest know n scrip tu re in the w orld , and the fountain head o f all S an sk rit literatu re and A ry a n religion s. “ It p la ce s before us a pictu re o f the id eas, religiou s and m oral, the feelin gs and custom s, o f the e a rly A ry a n seers, th in kers and philosophers o f In d ia, . . . and fills a vacu u m in the history o f the w orld w h ich no oth er w ork d oes.” W e h a ve, therefore, as lovers o f a ll th a t is g rea t in A r y a v a r ta , v e ry g rea t pleasure in ann ou n cin g th is generou s u n d ertak in g on w h ich a large sum o f m on ey h as been exp end ed b y our p atriotic and theosop h ical brother, to our readers, and in so licitatin g them to make the fa c t w idely known among their learned fr ie n d s ; and, as theosop hists, in ad din g th at “ the profits realized from the sa le of this w ork w ill, as in the case o f sim ilar oth er series, be d evoted to th e B o m b a y T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty ’s F u n d for the p u b lica tio n o f origin al S an sk rit te x ts and th eir tran slation s, tog eth er w ith those o f other popular M arath i and H in d i w orks o f em inent S a d h u s .” O rders m a y be addressed to M r. T o o k a ra m T a ty a , M a n ag in g D ire cto r, T h e B o m b a y T h eo so p h ica l P u b licatio n F u n d , B o m b a y . * B y Chancie de W itt:

T he Minerva Pub. Co., New York.

IN D IA . S u r a t. — “ O n th e 16th O cto b er a g irls’ school w as opened in S u ra t, under th e m anagem ent o f the S an a tan D h arm a S ab h a L o c a l B ra n ch o f th e T .S . T h e re w ere 51 girls present, and the n um ber o f pupils is exp ected to sh ortly reach 100, for th e m ovem ent is m uch ap p reciated in th e high caste qu arter o f the c ity , w here th e school is situ a ted .” O u r tru ly theosop hical and p h il anth rop ic m em bers o f the S u ra t B ra n c h also cond u ct a b o y s’ school, now n u m bering 140 p u p ils; and in oth er respects, a s describ ed b y B ertram K e ig h tle y in his last m on th ’s “ Jottin gs in In d ia ,” are doing rea lly good w ork. “ B esid es th e course o f su b jects, as laid dow n b y G overn m en t for p rim ary schools, there is d a ily im parted to the boys, for one hour, a system o f m oral instruction based on the p recep ts and eth ics o f S an atan D h arm a. T h e girls’ school ju st opened is to be cond u cted on th e sam e plan, everyth in g sectarian or d ogm atic b ein g ca refu lly ex clu d e d from the te a ch in g s.” W e co rd ia lly endorse th e w ords o f th e correspondent to the Theosophist, B r o t h e r C . L . P ea co ck e, o f the V th B om b . L t . In ft., w ho w r ite s : “ I think that m any dorm ant and w ea lth ier b ranches m ight ta k e exam p le from these th eir poorer brethren in S u ra t, and try to m ake th eir m em bership in the T .S . more than a n am e.” N a g p u r .— “ T h e C en tra l Provinces and B e r a r N ew s and R a ilw a y G azette d evotes o v er tw o-an d -a-h alf colum ns to a report o f the fifth ann u al m eeting o f the N a g p u r B ra n ch o f th e T h eo so p h ica l S o c iety . T h e report is v e ry en couragin g, and the branch ev id en tly m eans w ork. T h e feature of the m eeting w a s the ad dress of D r. Jeh an gir K h u rsh ed jee D a ji, G en era l S e c re ta ry o f th e B o m b a y S ection . T h e learned and am iab le doctor spoke in his usual felicitous w a y , and laid g rea t stress on th e realisation o f the S o c ie ty ’s ‘ F irst O b je ct ’— u n iversal b rotherhood .” M r. T . H e rb ert W r ig h t, F .T .S ., spoke en th u sia stically o f th e w ork in A m erica and E n g la n d , and urged n ative gentlem en not to be outdone b y the W e s t in a c tiv ity , and presented the B ra n ch L ib r a r y w ith a handsom e gift o f books, to th e v a lu e o f R s. 157. “ M r. C . V . N a y a d u , too, late V ice -P re sid en t o f the C am b rid g e B ra n ch , spoke in m uch the sam e strain . P erh ap s th e m ost interestin g speech o f the ev en in g w a s b y a M ahom edan , as it illu strated w h at B roth er D a ji had said in his address, that a ll religion s are at one in their bases. T h e report s a y s : ** Moulvie Abdul Nubhee, an aged pensioned Mahomedan gentleman and a staunch advocate of the doctrine of the ' Sufis,' who had specially come down from Kamptee to attend the Anniversary, on being introduced by the Chairman, addressed the audience in Hindustani, and said that every man must work out his own salvation, i.e., Mukti which could only be attained by a thorough realisation of the higher states of consciousness connected with the three Shariras (bodies) known as the ‘ Sthula,’ • Sukshma,’ and ' Karana.’ ”

B e lla r y . — “ M r. J. P . B h a sk u ra R ajoo, S e c re ta ry o f the C o w l B a z a a r P rog ressive U n ion, o f B e lla ry , w rites to sa y th a t B roth er R . J ag a n n ath ia , the founder o f the B e lla r y S an m arga S am a j, h as been lectu rin g on T h eo so p h y, for tw o con secu tive S u n d a y s, to v e ry interested and a p p reciative audiences, at th e U nion H a ll in B e lla r y .” W e are ex ceed in gly g la d to notice th is u se ful w ork. N a tiv e pundits and lectu rers are, w e b elieve, far m ore cap ab le o f carry in g on our In d ian program m e th an a n y bu t very exceptional W estern s. S u ch m en as our P resid en t-F o u n d er w ho rea lly love In d ia, are rare. C eylon has learn t to help itself, w h y should not India learn to do a s m u ch ?* * T he quoted information is from the Theosophist,

B ertra m K eig h tley 's T o u r .— B ertra m K e ig h tle y jo in e d th e P resid en tF ou n d er, on th e la tter's return from his C eylo n visit, at T in n e v e lly and a ccom p an ied him to A m b asam u d ram , w h ere th e y m et w ith a most en th u sia stic w elcom e from th e m em ber o f the B ra n ch , w ho had festooned the A lb ert V ic to r H a ll w ith floral d ecoratio n s in honour o f the visitors. B oth on their a rriva l g a v e lectu res in the open a ir, w h ich w ere tran slated into T a m il, sen tence b y sentence. T h is B ra n c h is v e ry a c tiv e and its m em bers m eet e v e ry d a y in th e reading-room , w hich is fu rnished w ith an ex cellen t T h eo so p h ica l and g e n e ra l lib rary . T h e follow in g e v e n in g the P resid en t d elivered an ad m irab le ad dress to a la rg e au d ien ce and w as follow ed again b y B ertra m K e ig h tle y . O n th eir return to T in n e v e lly both again lectu red , th e “ H in d u C o lleg e b eing litera lly cram m ed ” ; th e C olon el's lectu re w a s esp ecially good and w as m uch a p p recia ted . A t M a d u ra the sam e program m e w as repeated to a crow d ed au d ien ce, and an earnest ap p eal w as m ade for the re v iv a l o f H in d u literatu re and learn in g. So su ccessfu l w a s the earnest enthusiasm o f the P re sid e n t-F o u n d e r th a t, on th e prop osal o f the Z em in d ar, w h o w a s in th e ch air, a su b scrip tion list w a s open ed for the A d y a r L ib r a r y , and gen ero u sly su p p orted . T h e C olon el th en ce retu rned to A d y a r, and B ertra m K e ig h tle y w en t on to K u m b ak on am w h ere he m et w ith an en th u sia stic reception b y th e m em bers o f th e B ra n c h , w h ose nam e is so w ell k now n for th eir tran slatio n s o f the U p a n ish a d s and P u r in a s in the Theosophist. T h e n ext m orning at 7 .15 a.m ., he lectured to a good a u d ien ce, and a ga in in th e ev en in g a t 8.30 to a m uch large r one, both lectu res b ein g d elivered in the T o w n H a ll.

CEYLON . The O pen in g o f the B u d d h is t G ir ls ' S ch ool.

T h e B u d d h ists o f C eylo n h a ve taken a new d eparture. H ith erto their en ergy had been d irected tow ards the w elfa re o f the boys, for w hom no less than forty schools had been opened w ithin recent y ea rs u n der the auspices o f th e T h eo so p h ica l S o c iety . B u t it had been lon g ago pointed out b y Col. O lco tt that th e S in h alese girls should h a ve a school o f th eir ow n , where th ey m ight b e brou gh t up in harm on y w ith their religious and national instincts. T h is idea w a s zea lo u sly w orked up b y a d evoted B u d d h ist lady, M rs. W ee ra k o o n , and a b an d o f her cou ntryw om en, w ho w ith praisew orth y a c tiv ity organised th e W o m e n ’s E d u ca tio n a l S o c iety , now n u m berin g over 1,800 m em bers. W ith in one y e a r th is S o ciety opened four g irls' schools, th e B la v a ts k y School at W e lle w a tte w ith ab ove 100 children in d a ily atten d a n ce, and th e G ir ls ’ S ch ools at K a n d y , G a m p ola, and P an ed u ra. T h e S o c iety has been a ctiv e in a qu iet, u n obtrusive w a y w ith ou t any aid or en cou ragem en t from G overn m en t, so th at bu t few know a n y th in g of th e good w ork b ein g done. T h e open in g o f th e school at T ic h b o u m e H a ll w a s celeb rated w ith great ecla t. T h e spaciou s grou n d s w ere ta ste fu lly d ecorated w ith evergreens, ferns, and festoons. A sq u are p an dal w as run up at th e en tran ce w ith the m otto “ F rom d a u gh ter to w ife, from w ife to m oth er.” In sid e, b ou qu ets of flow ers and ga rla n d s adorned th e w alls. O v e r four hundred S in h alese lad ies had their seats in th e H a ll, m ostly m em bers o f the W o m e n ’s E d u c a tio n a l S o c iety , and the grou n d s were crow d ed w ith B u d d h ists from C olom b o and th e n eigh b ou rin g tow ns. A lto geth er there w ere over a th ousan d present. A m o n g others w e noticed C olon el H . S . O lc o tt, P . T . S . ; H o n . P . R a m an a th a n , C . M . G . ; and M iss R a m a n a th a n ; D r. T. B o w les D a ly , L L . D . ; th e V en era b le H . S u m an ga la, H e ad A b b o t ; and th e R everen d H eya n tu d u re , V ice -P re sid e n t o f th e V id y o d a y a C o lle g e ; M u d a liya r's L .C . W ije sh in a , T u d o r R a ja p a k se, and S iriw a rd e n a ; P a n d it B a tu v a n tu d a v e ; A . E . B u u ltje n s ; M r. and M rs.

Sim on F e rn a n d o ; M r. and M rs. U . D . S . G u n a sk e r a : M r. and M rs. D e A b r e w ; M r. and M rs. D . N . T ille k e r a tn e ; M rs. L i v e r a ; M rs. W eerak oon : M essrs. W ije y e se k e ra , G u n aw ard en e, D h a m m a p a la ; the E d ito r o f the B a u d d h a B a n d u , etc., etc., etc. T h e proceedin gs began b y P an sil b ein g g iv en b y th e H e a d A b b ot, D . S u m an ga la. T h e V en era b le m onk then spoke in th e highest term s o f the w ork o f the W .E .S ., and w ish ed it e v e ry su ccess. M rs. W eera k o o n , the P resid en t o f th e W .E .S ., then addressed the m eeting, and g a v e a sk etch y history o f th e F e m a le E d u ca tio n M ovem ent am ong the B u d d h ists. S h e than ked M rs. R a ja p a k se, L a m a E tte n a , P atron o f the S o ciety , for her generous support, and C olonel O lco tt and M rs. S u san A . E n g lish , o f A m erica, for th eir sy m p a th y and services. M iss M . E . D . S ilv a , the A ssista n t S ecre ta ry , n ext read a report o f the w ork done, g iv in g sta tistics o f B ran ch es, S ch ools, etc. T h e C h airm an read letters from his E x c e lle n c y the G overn or, and from the D irector o f P u b lic In stru ction , exp ressin g regret at b ein g unable to b e present, and sym p ath isin g w ith the E d u ca tio n al M ovem ent. H o n . P . R am an ath an , in his speech, exp ressed his profound adm iration o f th e good w ork b ein g carried on b y his countryw om en for e le v a tin g their sisters. T h e y w ere d oin g their w ork w ithout a n y help from G overn m en t. T h e w om en o f E n g la n d and A m erica w ould be proud to hear o f their noble un d ertak in g. H e conclu d ed b y ex p ressin g his stron g regard and friendship for C olon el O lco tt, w ho had been lab ou ring in C eylo n d u rin g the p ast ten yea rs, and had en d eared h im self to all. T h e hon. gentlem an sat down am id st applause. D r. D a ly next addressed th e m eetin g and d w elt on th e benefits o f fem ale ed ucation. H e w a s follow ed b y M u d aliyar, L . C . W ijesin h a , P a n d it B a tu v a n tu d a v e , the E d ito r o f the B a u d d h a B a n d u , and M r. A . E . B u u ltje n s. T h e School w a s then d eclared open, and it w a s d esign ated the “ S a n gh am itta " School in honour o f P rin cess S an gh am itta , one o f the heroin es o f B u d dh ism , w ho introduced th at religion to C ey lo n . T h e proceedin gs term inated b y the c h an tin g o f the J ay a m an ga la G a th a . W ekada S ch o o l. — O n the 21st inst. C olonel O lco tt visited th e S ch ool and d elivered an address to an au d ience o f abou t five hundred B u d d h ists. A fte r the speech a sum o f R s. 1,500 w a s raised tow ard s th e S ch ool F u n d . N ugegoda S ch o o l. — T h e B u d d h ists o f th is villa g e h a v e at last aw ak en ed to a sense o f their d u ty , and taken th eir children from the hands o f the m issionaries. A school-room has been put up, and on the opening d a y, C olon el H . S . O lco tt, D r. D a ly , A . S . B u u ltjen s, and a p a rty o f the T h eo so p h ists w ent o v er th ere at the invitation o f the S ch ool C om m ittee, and the C olon el opened the S ch ool. T h e collection tow ard s the School F u n d realised on th e spot w a s R s. 350. W e w ish the S ch ool all su ccess. R atn apura S ch o o l. — T h e R a ta m a h a tm e ya s of th is D istrict are ev id en tly not friends o f ed ucation, if w e m a y ju d g e from th eir la c k o f interest in their ow n school. T h e en ergetic S e c re ta ry o f R atn ap u ra T .S . d eserves credit for th e pains he is ta k in g abou t the S ch ool. T h e re are eig h ty -tw o b o y s a t present. K a n d y B u d d h is t M issio n . — M issio n ary L e c tu re rs are sent out from tim e to tim e from the K a n d y B ra n c h o f the T h eo sop h ical S o c ie ty to preach from v illa g e to v illa g e . G . D h a rm a p a la o f th e K a n d y M ission is now on tour and h as b een lectu rin g a t about th irty different p laces in K u ru n e ga la , P o lg a h a w e lla , B a la p itu ja , G a lle , M a ta ra , D ick w ella and T a n g a lla . H e w ill co n tin u e his tou r in th e R a tn a p u ra D istrict. O u r B u d d h ist brothers should do a ll in their pow er to help th e w ork o f the B ra n ch b y receivin g the d eleg ates, and m akin g arran gem en ts for b rin gin g togeth er a good a u d ie n ce.— T h e B u d d h is t.

ngland.

T h e T h u r s d a y e v e n in g m eetin g s o f th e B la v a ts k y L o d g e are m a rk ed ly su cce ssfu l at th e p re se n t tim e, and th e d iscu ssion s on T h eo so p h ica l te a c h in g s a re a ttr a c tin g a u d ien ces o f a m ost th o u gh tfu l c h a r a c te r. A s our rea d ers k n ow th e first o f th is series o f d iscu ssion s w a s opened on O c to b e r gth b y th e P re s id e n t o f the L o d g e , w h o d ealt w ith the su b ject g e n e ra lly , sh o w in g th e g e n e ra l n atu re o f t h e ev id en ce for T h e o so p h y , and th e proofs offered and d em an d ed. D r . K e ig h tle y follow ed on th e su cce ed in g ev en in g w ith a revie w o f the e v id e n c e s from h isto ry, religion s, and ex p erim en t, th u s co m p letin g th e in tro d u cto ry sk etch o f “ T h e o so p h y an d its E v id e n c e s ." A n a d m irab le p a p e r from G .R .S . M ead b egan th e d efin ite ex p o sitio n , and d ealt w ith the U n ity o f th e U n iv e r s e : his w a s th e difficult task o f h elp in g th e com m en cin g stu d en t to obtain som e idea o f w h a t is h in ted at in the term “ A b so lu te ,’ ’ and to reach som e co n cep tio n s, h o w e ver h a z y , o f the prim al m a n ifesta tio n s o f the E te r n a l L ife . T h e n cam e M rs. C o o p er-O a k ley , still in the realm o f m e ta p h y sic s, but d ea lin g w ith co n cep tio n s not q u ite so a b stra ct, tellin g in w o n d erfu lly cle a r fashion o f the L o g o i and th e S e v e n , as o f F o h a t, a co n cep t th a t g a v e rise to m uch b ew ild erm en t. O n the 6th N o vem b er, M r. K in g sla n d opened th e section, “ T h e S e p te n a ry in N a t u r e ,” w ith the lo g ic a l co h eren ce w h ich a lw a y s m akes him p leasa n t to listen t o ; th is portion o f th e su b ject w a s con clu d ed on th e follo w in g T h u r s d a y by M rs. C lea th er, in a p a p e r w h ich w on gen era l p ra ise for its lu c id ity a n d a d m irab le arran gem en t o f m a terials. “ T h e S o la r S y stem and th e P la n e ta r y C h a in s ” occu p ied th e ev en in g s o f N o v . 20 and 27th, W . R . O ld , as th e b est astronom er in th e L o d g e , b ein g told o ff to ex p la in th e S o la r S y ste m . T h e co m p licated su b ject o f th e P la n e ta ry C h a in s g a v e M r. M e a d an o p p o rtu n ity o f rea d in g one o f the best p a p ers o f th e cou rse, and th e discu ssion w a s k ep t u p far m ore vig o ro u sly than is u su al. T h e 4th and n t h o f D ecem b er w ere d ev o te d to th e stu d y o f “ R o u n d s on a P la n e ta ry C h a in ,” th e op en in g o f the d iscu ssio n s fa llin g to the lot o f M rs. B e sa n t. T h e L o d g e h as com m en ced a series o f co n v ersa zio n es, to be holden on the first T u e s d a y o f e v e ry m onth, to w h ich all m em b ers and a sso cia tes are c o rd ia lly in v ited . It is hoped th u s to g iv e o p p ortu n ities to m em b ers o f m a k in g frien d s w ith each other, and so prom oting th a t sp irit o f fello w sh ip w h ich should be ch a ra cte ristic o f tru e T h eo so p h y. T h e W o r k in g W o m e n ’s C lu b at B o w is p ro v in g a g rea t su ccess. I t has n ow o v er 1 50 n am es on its books, and it is a p leasa n t sigh t to see th e g irls in the e v e n in g , rea d in g, p la y in g ga m es, sin gin g, q u ite h a p p y as a t hom e, safe from th e d a n g ers o f the streets. M rs L lo y d , the m atron, h as her h an d s m ore th a n fu ll, as she not o n ly h as to su p erin ten d e v e ry th in g , but is co n stan tly in req u e st to p la y acco m p an im en ts to son gs. T h e c h e a p m eals are a g rea t co m fo rt to w om en w h ose w a g es are so low as a re th o se o f ou r E a s t E n d siste rs, and th e m id d ay m eal o f m eat an d tw o v e g e ta b les for 3d. is w ell a tte n d e d . T h o s e w h ose m eans w ill not stretch to so lu x u rio u s a repast can h a v e a p in t o f soup and a th ick slice o f b read for id .— a d inn er b y no m eans u n sa tisfa cto ry on a sh arp frosty d a y . T h e la rg e d in in g hall ge n e ra lly sees a b ou t 150 visitors a d a y , b etw een b re a k fa st, d inn er a n d tea. T h e o so p h ists w ou ld do useful service b y sen d in g short a rtic le s, su ita b le for in sertion in n ew sp a p ers, on T h eo so p h ica l to p ics, to th e B a ro n e ss d e P a lla n d t, 36, B ry a n s to n S treet, H y d e P a r k , W . T

h eo soph y

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th e

r ess.

T h e issue o f L i g h t o f N o ve m b e r 1st con tain s se v e ra l item s o f T h e o so p h ic in terest, in clu d in g revie w s o f th e O c to b er n u m bers o f L u c if e r and T h e Theosophist. In th e G lobe o f the sam e d a te is a letter from th e

G e n e ra l S e c re ta ry o f th e B ritish S ectio n , p o in tin g out th e d istin ction s b etw een T h e o so p h y and th e H a th a Y o g a system p ra cticed b y a certain P sy c h o -R e lig io u s S o c ie ty . T h e W eekly R eview g iv e s a colum n to a n otice o f the O cto b er n um ber o f L u c ife r , and an ep itom e o f th e c h ie f articles th erein . T h e colu m ns o f the W om en's P en n y P a p er o f is t N o ve m b e r and su cce ed in g d a tes contain d iscu ssion s on W o m e n and T h eo so p h y, arisin g from an a rticle in the O cto b er n um ber of L u c ife r , “ T h e future o f W o m a n .” T h e S ta r (w hich is g e n e ra lly p o sted up in T h eo so p h ica l new s) con tain s a short acco u n t o f the recent R e ce p tio n at H e ad q u arte rs, as do also th e W estern M ercury and S ociety o f 6th and 15th N o ve m b e r re sp e ctiv e ly . T h e W om an's T ribu ne (A m erica) o f N o ve m b e r 8th has an a rticle b y M iss M ills, F .T .S . w ho also co n trib u tes to the Society T im es o f the sam e d a te a short paper en titled “ T h o u g h t, th e P e rfo rm e r.” T h e N o ve m b e r issues o f th is last nam ed p a p e r are rich in T h eo so p h ic m atter and in clu d e a rticles on “ T h e P o w e r o R ig h t A c tio n ,” “ T h e R o m a n tic L o v e ,” “ T h e B a s ic H y p o th e sis o f T h e o so p h y ,” & c. T h e A g n o stic J o u r n a l o f N o ve m b e r 8th and su cceed in g issues contain a series o f a rticles b y J astrze b sk i, a w ell-kn ow n con trib u tor to those colum ns, en titled “ T h e o so p h y on the D e fe n siv e ,” w h ich w ill d oub tless be read w ith m uch interest b y en qu irers. R ecen t issues o f the d a ily ev en in g paper, T h e E c h o , contain som e corresp on d en ce arisin g from S ir L . G riffin ’s rem ark s on T h e o so p h y , & c. T h e W estern M o rn in g N ew s and the M anchester G uardian o f N o vem b er 12th , th e P a ll M a ll G azette o f the 13th, and the C ou rt J o u r n a l of N o ve m b e r 15th, con tain p a ra g ra p h s on m atters T h eo so p h ica l, the first nam ed a notice o f L u c ife r , the th ree la tter an ann oun cem ent o f the “ V a h a n .” In the Com m onwealth o f N o v e m b e r 13th is the con tin u ation o f a discu ssion on T h eo so p h ica l T e n e ts in g e n e ra l. A n am u sin g acco u n t o f the B la v a ts k y L o d g e d iscu ssion , “ T h e S e p te n a ry in N a tu re ,” is inserted in th e S ta r o f N o ve m b e r 14th, follow ed b y a short letter o f exp lan ation and rectifica tio n from M rs. C leath er, the opener o f the d is cussion . A p erio d ical, T h e T a b let, h as a p arag rap h on D r. B o w le s D a ly , F .T .S ., and his w ork am ong th e B u d d h is ts o f C ey lo n . J u d y , th e w ellk now n com ic p ap er, has a short poem “ T o th o se abou t to age ” d ea lin g w ith the “ Y o g h i S h a stra ,” th e rhythm w here o f is w ea k and the w it m uch differen tia ted . T h e N ew castle W eekly C h ron icle of N o vem b er 22nd, under the h ea d in g “ N o tes and Q u e r ie s ” h as tw o con trib u tion s on d ream s, one from “ F .B .O .,” based on an a rticle on the su b ject in a recen t n um ber of L u c ife r . T h e W eekly R eview of N o ve m b e r 29th, n otices th e last issue o f “ T h eo so p liica l S iftin g s .” S w eden.

T h e S o c ie ty h as now decid ed to p u b lish a T h e o so p h ica l M onth ly, w hose first n um ber w ill ap p ear n ex t m onth, co n tain in g tran slation s from E n g lis h , and sev eral origin al a rticles. T h e p rice is 3 K r. a y ea r. W e hope th at th is m on th ly, tre a tin g as it w ill o f variou s m atters o f interest, w ill do a go od deal for the sp read o f T h e o so p h y in our co u n try . T h r e e thousand copies o f the first n um ber w ill be d istribu ted g ra tis. O u r la s t m eetings h a ve been v e r y in terestin g, and th e lon g discu ssion on “ free w ill ” is now clo sed , sev eral m em bers co n trib u tin g to it w ith p a p ers. A tran slation o f M r. A le x a n d e r F u lle rto n ’s article, “ T h e M ission o f T h e o so p h y ” (from T h e P a th ) w a s read b y a m em ber. T h e first B ra n c h o f our S w ed ish so c iety has n ow b een estab lish ed in G o th en b u rg . T h e officers are as fo llo w s : P r e sid e n t: M r. T o rste n H ed lu n d . V ic e -P r e sid e n t: M iss E . W e s te rlu n d . S ecr e ta ry : M rs. H elen S jo sted t, T rea su rer: M rs. L in d a L a rsso n . A ll these persons are a lrea d y m em bers o f th e Stock h olm L o d g e , and w e hope th a t th eir earn est w ork for T h e o so p h y w ill bear go od fruit. T h a n k s to a d onation o f E n g lish books from C o u n tess W a c h tm e iste r, th ey are able at on ce to begin w ith a L e n d in g L ib r a r y .

O u r o rd in ary d ra w in g room recep tio n s, g iv en b y tw o m em bers, h ave b egu n , and are a lw a y s v e ry w ell atten d ed . A .C .

A M E R IC A . C in c in n a ti T . S . prom ises a v e ry a ctiv e future, under th e p resid en cy o f our ex cellen t brother D r. J. D . B u c k . N o tic es o f a new head -qu arters, and a lon g list o f lectu res and oth er sign s o f a ctiv e p rop agan d a ta k e up a page o f th e P a th . L i g h t T . S . , F o rt W a y n e , In d ., h as secu red a larg e and cen tra l room for B ra n ch w ork and head q u arters. T h e B rooklyn T . S . is not conten t w ith one even in g a w eek for L o d g e M eetin gs, bu t h as added another for closer stu d y o f T h eo so p h y. T h is is an ex cellen t e x a m p le ; co-operative stu d y and intercourse betw een m em bers are the corn er stones o f the solid arity o f the T .S . T h e C h icago T . S . h as opened its autum n m eetin gs in a n ew H a ll. T h e L o s A n g eles T . S . h a v e a set o f com m odious new room s. In th e 19 d a y s from N o ve m b e r 3rd to N o ve m b e r 22nd, the G e n e ra l S e c re ta ry issued 4 C h a rte rs to new B ra n c h e s and receive d a p p lica tio n s for 2 oth ers. T h e form er are the “ E a s t L o s A n g e le s T . S . , ” E a s t L o s A n geles, C a l i f ; the “ D ie D e u tsch e T h eo so p h isch e G e s e lls c h a ft,” the first G erm an B ra n ch in th e U n ited S ta te s and lo cated at P h ila d e lp h ia , P a . ; the “ S id d a rth a T . S .,” V ic k sb u rg , M i s s .; and th e “ V ish n u T . S .,” P ittsb u rg , P a . T h e la tter are th e “ K e s h a v a T . S ., B o u ld er, C o lo .,’’ and the “ W illa m e tte T . S ,” P o rtla n d , O regon. T h e “ V ish n u ” is th e 47th B ra n c h on the A m e rican roll. T h e C ou n t W a c h tm e iste r h as visited S a n D ieg o , C a lif., and d elivered an a d d re ss to a m eetin g in the U n ita ria n C h u rc h . A b o u t 300 w ere present, th e largest au d ien ce ev er assem bled in S an D ie g o for T h e o so p h ica l purposes. A t a reception g iv en to the C o u n t, he ch arm ed th e g u e sts w ith his m u sical sk ill, and a cco u n ts are com in g E a s t o f it and o f him . T h e T h eo so p h ica l H e a d q u a rte rs and L ib r a r y o f the P a c ific C o a s t h a ve been forced b y g ro w th to seek larger room s, and are now at 103, P a r k A v en u e, S an F ra n cisc o . T h e n ext cou rse o f p u b lic lectu res on T h e o so p h y h as been ann oun ced, 9 in n u m ber, and in clu d in g v e ry va ried to p ics. In N o vem b er P a th the G en eral S e c re ta ry in vited T h eo so p h ists to send a C h ristm a s gift to A d y a r. In less than tw o w eeks he received $200, one ch eq u e b ein g for $150, and th e sum w as forw ard ed to C ol. O lc o tt on th e n t h . In th e p a st th ree m onths the G en era l S e c re ta ry has sen t to A d y a r $867 and the to ta l're m itta n c e s there d u rin g th e jp a st tw o y ea rs, in clu d in g fees and dues, h a v e been $3372 ! T h e ve ry g rea t need for a ch ea p e r edition o f E soteric B u d d h ism h a s at last b een m et b y its issu an ce in th e “ O c cu lt S e r i e s ” o f the John W . L o v e ll P u b lish in g C o . T h e form er edition is $ 1.2 5 ; th e la tte r is $1.00 in cloth and 50 c en ts in paper.

“ S tu d y , w ith o u t reflection , is w a ste o f t i m e ; R eflection , w ith ou t stu d y, is d an g ero u s.” “ T h e w ise h a v e no d oubts, T h e virtu ou s no sorrow s, T h e b ra v e no fears.” C o n f u c iu s .

%a, anir f t o . I n a lead er o f the P a l l M a ll G azette o f N o vem b er 25th, h e a d e d : ARE W E CRUEL AS A NATION? Som e T h o u g h ts

by th e

W ay

on t h e

R e a r -g u a r d A t r o c i t i e s .

the w riter, trea tin g o f th e la te A frica n exp lo ration scan d als, s a y s :

“ Though the African stories are the heaviest bloiv dealt against the reputation of the Anglo-Saxon race for humanity since the publishing o f ‘ Uncle Tom’s Cabin,’ there is, or appears to be, this difference between the floggings and kidnapping 011 the Congo and the cow-hiding and kidnapping in Tennessee— that whereas the inbred cruelty of the Southern planters was the result of a savage system, the atrocities of the rear-column were isolated, single, sporadic outrages, confined to a single camp.” H e th en proceeds to ask th e om inous qu estion : B u t is th is re a lly the case ? A n d relates a g h a stly a n ecd ote o f w h ich a y o u n g E n g lish m a n is th e “ h ero,’ ’ ta k en from the secon d volu m e o f th e jo u rn a l o f th e brothers Jules an d E d m o n d de G o n co u rt, and con clu d es as fo llo w s:

“ By itself the anecdote might be dismissed as a study in morbid mental anatomy. But ranged with the Jameson story it goes to strengthen the inference that there exists in the English character a strain of latent cruelty which is not sufficiently allowed for when we give our countrymen a free hand in new territories. Our innate love of bullying, repressed but always present in English schoolboys as a class, in favourable surroundings develops into ferocious cruelty for cruelty’s sake. The deeds of the old buccaneers are probably the most wantonly ferocious of any recorded in recent history. These men, though largely recruited from other maritime nations, and from the blacks of Africa and the West Indies, were in the main Englishmen. Their captains, distin guished above the rest for cruelty, were nearly all of British stock. Horrible as was the Spaniards’ treatment of the Caribs, these Indians could be armed and trusted to fight to the last gasp for their Spanish masters rather than run the risk of capture by the buccaneers. The cruelties inflicted by the latter after taking a settlement are almost incredible. Death by burning and torture was the usual fate of the prisoners ; and it is related of one of the captains that he cut out and ate the heart of a Spaniard who refused to betray the place of the buried valuables of the community. But if these are ancient tales— not so very ancient, as history shows— what shall we say of the brutal bullying which still flourishes in public schools ? Is this the training to make gentle masters of subject races? Quite recently in one of the best public schools in England a boy was roasted before a fire till the skin peeled off his back ; and it is certain that were the present double supervision of masters and monitors relaxed our big boys would make the weaker ones’ lives too miserable to be endured. Schoolboy bullying is a purely British institution. It is without a parallel on the Continent; and yet we refuse to believe that the instincts of the boy recur in the man. If we do not, and dispense with that supervision of the rule of our countrymen abroad which we do not remit in the case of our boys at home, we may look to a repetition of the Congo scandals with tolerable certainty. ’ O f th e past in d eed it m a y b e s a i d : “ L o o k not behind or thou art lost ” : b u t o f th e present, and th e re b y o f the future, w h at ? It is h a rd ly a question o f pittin g one W e s te r n nation a gain st another in th is for th e y are all tarred w ith the sam e b rush m ore or less. B u t w h at is im portant is that ju st as h e w h o can not recogn ise his own fau lts, is th e least w is e ; so, that n ation w h ich is th e m ost self-satisfied abou t its m orals and q u alities, has least cla im for w isd om am ong its sister n a tio n s ; esp ecially if it ex a gg erate s

and w a x e s p iou sly in d ig n an t o v er th e fau lts o f the rest o f th e fa m ily , and shuts tig h tly its eyes to its ow n. N o w th ere is no doubt w h a te v e r b u t that the m ost p iou sly self-con ten ted race in the w orld is the A n g lo -S a x o n s t o c k : the slim y viru s o f P u rita n ism h as still to w ork its w a y out o f the system o f our n ational b o d y. W e are am o n g n ations th e “ u n co’ g u id ,” and the m ore in tellectu al w e becom e, the less aw are w e are o f ou r self-adm iration , as the su b tle d isease strik es in from plane to plane. A re w e cru el as a n a tio n ? Y k s : p h ysica lly , p s y c h ic a lly and m en tally w e are cru el. W e are selfish and un just righ t through and therefore m ust in the n ature o f th in gs be cru el. N o w how can th is b e c h a n g e d ? E d u c a te ! E d u c a t e !! T h e children are our sa lva tio n . Ju st as the student o f o ccu lt n atu re can im bue th e new atom s o f his b od y w h ich m om en tarily rep lace the old ones, w ith less viciou s ten d en cies and th u s regen erate him self b y m oral A lc h e m y and a tta in the “ E lix ir o f L ife ,” so can a nation w ork its ow n regeneration b y ed u ca tin g the n ew atom s o f its n ational body, its child ren . T h u s th e w riter o f th e a rticle h as put his finger rig h t on the d iseased spot. T ru e it is th at b u lly in g is not so flag ran t as it w a s, but it is still p o p u la r; and a “ fe llo w ” still th in ks it a leg itim ate a m u sem en t; in fact a rew ard o f virtu e, for w a s he not “ r a g g e d ” w hen he w a s a “ ju n io r ” and so h as w on the prerog ative in his turn w ith suffering. T h u s the w eary round go es on, and h ate b reed s h a te ; un feelin gn ess and anim alism breed their like u n ceasin gly , and the finer sen tim en ts and intu itions are cru sh ed out o f a ll our children and replaced w ith a S p a rtan c ru e lty in w h ich th ey ign o ran tly glo ry , rejo icin g to place th em selves on a a p a r w ith the retrograd e anim alism o f the R ed In d ian . “ T h e ch ild is fath er to the m a n ,” and the e a rly h a b its o f th o u gh t and feelin g continu e th rou gh ou t life. O h the pity o f i t ! W h e n w ill the m ind o f the nation, its p arents, gu ard ia n s and p recep tors, b e stron g enough to influence its m atter, w hen ? D o you w an t proof o f th is reasoned ferocity ? T h e n read the follo w in g c u ttin g from T h e Sta n d a rd o f N o ve m b e r 19 th :

“ EXTRAORDINARY SURGICAL OPERATION

NEW YORK, NOV. 18.

“ In the Charity Hospital in New York a portion of a living dog’s foreleg has been grafted in a boy’s leg to take the place of a bone which is wanting. The two are bound together, and the youth and dog lie side by side in one of the hospital cots. In ten or twelve days, if the dog’s limb unites with the boy’s, the operation will be com plete, and the last links of flesh by which the dog is connected with the boy will be cut. The dog is a black spaniel, and was’ placed under anassthetics.” W e som etim es hear it said o f com m u nities th a t th e y h a v e “ N o b a c k s to be thrash ed and no souls to be dam n ed ” : bu t they have, and w h en th e rock descen d s it b reak s them to pow der. T h e proofs a re o n ly too ab u n d an t. T h e ro ck is a lrea d y s w a y in g : let us not shou t too lou d or w e m ay b rin g it on our h e a d s ! •---------------- > K -----------------

T h e theorem s o f p h ilosoph y are to b e en joyed a s m u ch as p o ssib le as if th e y w ere am brosia and n ectar. F o r the p leasu re a risin g from them is genuin e, in corru p tib le and d ivin e. T h e y are also c a p a b le o f p ro d u cin g m a g n a n im ity ; and thou gh th e y can not m ake us etern al b ein g s y e t th ey en able us to obtain a scien tific k n ow led ge o f etern al n atu res. I f v ig o u r o f sensation is consid ered b y us to b e an eligib le th in g, w e should m uch m ore stren u ou sly en d ea vo u r to obtain pruden ce ; for it is a s it w ere the sen sitive vig ou r o f the p ra ctic a l in tellect w h ich w e co n tain . A n d a s through the form er w e are not d eceiv ed in sen sible p ercep tion s so through th e la tter w e a vo id false rea so n in g in p ra ctica l affairs.

anti JEgtftu $tthluatioiLS. TH E THEOSOPHIST for November opens with the President’s account of the foundation of the T.S. ipropos of the 15th anniversary of the Society. This is fol lowed by a translation of the famous “ Maitrayo-Upanishad of Sama Veda” by the Kumbaionam TS . , whose painstaking and scholarly work has now become quite a feature of the Theosophist. Those who fail to conceive of what is meant by Atma, should carefully study “ Adhyaya III.” Among other gems of occult lore we may select, “ The Contemplation of the Tatwus is the transcendental method, that of the Shastras the middling, and that of the Mantras the lowest ” . . . and “ For one who longs after Salvation, the wor ship of idols made of stone, metals, gems and earth, leads to rebirth and enjoyment (sc. of material existence). Therefore the ascetic should perform his own heartworship and relinquish external worship in order that he may not be born again.” Seven “ Tamil Proverbs ” are next ex plained in a very clever and intuitional paper by P. R. Venkatarama Iyer. The popular belief is that 2,000 years ago there were 18 brotherhoods of adepts in the Tamil country presided over by 18 Sadhoos, and that these used to meet in the hills of the Tinnevelly district. The object of these brotherhoods was to popu larise Esoteric truths and bring them home to the masses. Hence it is that Tamil “ contains a larger number of popu lar treatises in Occultism, Alchemy, &c., than even Sanscrit . . . . so that even in these degenerate days, esoteric philosophy is ringing in the bazaars and streets of the Tamil country; to those that can raise the symbolic veil and can understand the grand truths, ' wisdom crieth in the streets ’ ; ” and indeed the seven proverbs which are given as examples, fully bear out the statement. Professor Alexander Wilder’s article on the “ Serpent ” is con cluded, and Brother C. Kotayya contri butes his second paper on the "Hindu Theory of Vibration,” which should be studied in conjunction with the learned papers on “ Nature’s Finer Forces ” which appeared in Volume IX. In the conclu sion of paper on the “ The Religious Aspects of the Early Tantras of the Hindus” the author, K. Chakravarti, puts forward some arguments against “ anthro pomorphism ” and “ materialism” in re ligion in favour of the so-called “ Athe ists” as against the “ Deists,” declaring

that no proof of the existence of soul exists ; with what object however it is difficult to see. E. D. Fawcett next re views an interesting pamphlet by Dr. Saltzer on Buddhism and Positivism ; the treatment of the pamphlet will, in its turn, no doubt, be interesting to those who compare the terms of Western thought. Those, however, who have an idea of the fitness of things, after reading Dr. S.’s comparison between Buddha and Comte, will go in dread of meeting such head-lines as Sankaracharya v. Smith, or Plato v. Jones. Mr. Gopalacharlu next concludes his essay on “ Women in An cient India,” showing how the reform of Buddha endeavoured to restore women to their original status in the Vedic and Epic period, and how Brahminism again gained the upper hand and finally all pos sibility of reform ceased with the Moham medan conquest. “ Man’s Conquest over Nature ’’ is an excellent paper by our re spected brother Dr. Buck, written with all his customary force. The condensed re port of Mr. Fawcett’s Lectures on “ The Evolution of Deity ” deal with the con ception of the “ Absolute” and conclu sively prove, at any rate for the student of the Vedanta and the reader of the Upanishads, the insufficiency of Western thought in this direction. TH E PATH is headed by a capital paper by William Main on “ Evolution and Involution ” which shows that the writer is a diligent student of the Secret Doctrine; the circle dance of the Three Graces, Purusha, Prakriti, and Fohat is traced intelligently in its outline. “ Japan ese Buddhist Sects” deals with a brief description of twelve of thechief Buddhist sects in Japan : it is a practical little expo sition which will be useful to general readers. “ Eusebius Urban ” follows with a common-sense paper, entitled “ Which is vague, Theosophy or Science ? ” The paper of course deals with the theories of Science and not with its observations and “ mechanical manipulations” in which it is naturally supreme. Deductions drawn from the observation of one seventh only of the factors at work must necessarily be vague. Miss Kate Hillard is the next writer, who gives us another of her many admirable papers, treating of “ Recogni tion after Death” and disposing of the materialistic views of the Spiritualists by philosophical arguments based on the

analysis of the “ man ” as distinguished from the “ animal ” in the “ Key. Mrs. J. Campbell Ver Planck’s “ Theosophical Catechism” deals with three of the princi ples of Theosophy, viz., “ That there is one universal eternal principle of Being or Life, from which proceeds all that exists. . . The absolute universality of the law of periodicity, or action and reaction, ebb and flow............The identity of all souls with the oversoul.” The wording of the second doctrine would seem beyond the cerebral capacity of even an infant Sankaracharya, but then, perhaps, “ grown-ups” require some coaching as well. Bro. Fullerton’s paper on “ The Reincarnating Part of Us ” is coloured with the pigment of the G.A.O.T.U., which shows that Le Principe Createur of the “ Grand Orient ” is not accepted even by otherwise philoso phical minds. The puzzle about the differ ent kinds of memory which is brought for ward in this paper, is disposed of in our last editorial on “ Psychic and Noetic Actions.” The number concludes with some more information about the “ Pillakatuka” derived from baby lips. We have read nothing more charming than these baby utterances and hope they will often put in an appearance in “ Tea Table Talk.” Theosophical Siftings, Vol. 3, No. 14, price threepence, contains articles on The Mayas, and on “ Individuality and Personality.” The former of these is a reprint of a Lecture given at the Blavat sky Lodge by Mdme. Le Plongeon, wife of the famous Central American explorer. The article is a most interesting and valuable one, the authoress giving a charming description of the marvellous discoveries made by her husband and herself, placing before the reader cities and races of vast antiquity. The con cluding paper of this number will be welcomed by Theosophists in general. In many minds the relation of the Individuality and the Personality has been the source of much confusion. Here the distinction between the two is in simple language made perfectly clear. The article is an excellent one and will well repay most careful reading. The Buddhist. We are more than ever convinced of the worth of this industrious journal, which lies in the fact that it gives us the views of the Buddhists themselves about Buddhism. This is principally brought about by translations from the Pali, the Singhalese as a body repre senting the Southern Church which occupies itself principally with the ethical teaching of their great Master. Aphorisms, proverbs, scripture-stories

crowd every page. One of the most charming of the Suttas in the October number is called the “ Dhaniya Sutta,” and is of an amabcean character like the shepherd songs in the Eclogues of Theocritus and his imitator Virgil. Dhaniya is a cowherd owning large herds of cattle. “ One night after his day’s work was finished and his cattle had been placed under shelter, it began to rain heavily. As he lay down after his dinner, he, through inordinate joy, began to sing stanzas." Buddha hearing and wishing to lead him in the path of Nibbana (Nirvana), answers him verse by verse. We cannot refrain from quot ing the first four stanzas to show the beauty of the conception. “ :. I have finished my meal ; I have collected the milk ; I am living peaceably on the b.ir.ks of the Mahi, surrounded by my wife a n d children ; my house is roofed, the file is kindled. Rain on now, O cloud ! if you will. Thus said ihe cowherd Dhaniya. “ 2. I am free from anger, free from stub bornness ; I am living for a night on the banks of the Mahi ; my house is rooflers, the fire is extinguished. Rain on now,O cloud ! if you will. Thus said BhagavS. “ 3. There are no mosquitoes ; the cattle are roaming on ground covered with rich grass ; the cattle are able to endure the coming rain. Rain on now, O cloud ! if you will. “ 4. My raft is bound together, and well made ; having crossed the flood (of existence) and swum through it, 1 have arrived at the other shore ; there i* no further use for the raft. Rain on now, O cloud ! if you will. Thus said Bhagavfi."

Those who want a new ethical philosophy to cope with the misery of the poor and suffering, something that will make them soar above the im permanence and appearance of things, have they far to seek f Most of us have heard of the wise judgment of King Solomon, those, however, who would like to see it in its Buddhist dress should read the “ Ummagga Jataka.” There are also Egyptian, Thibetan, Chinese, South Indian and Mussalman versions, of the same world-story which cannot fail to interest all students of comparative re ligions. Lovers of the'1 Paramita Paths ” should study the stanzas translated by H. J. Mendis on “ The Importance of Shi la." Le Lotus Bleu besides the usual transla tions contains two interesting and original papers, “ Mature et Divinit6 ” and “ Etude sur l’lnde.” Department oj Branch Work, Paper No. 7. gives us a very creditable paper by Miss E. B. Hooper on “ Evolution and In

volution,” illustrated by diagrams. This is a study from the Secret Doctrine and steers far wider of mistakes than the lucubrations of many older heads. Le Bouddhisme Esoterique (Paris : Librarie de 1’Art Independant ; 11, rue de la Chaus6e d’Antin, 11, 1890. Price 3 fr. 50.) A translation of Mr. A. P. Sinnett’s well known work by one of our most hard-working French theosophists, Mme. Camille Lemaltre, has just appeared. YVe are especially glad to welcome the placing of this new stone in the founda tion of the future edifice of Theosophy in France. It is by such translations alone that we can hope for a real introduction of Eastern Esotericism into Europe, so that every effort in this direction must be regarded as most excellent work. The sub-title of Positivisme Hindou, however, is not a very happy choice. Buddhism is not Positivism, and Esoteric Buddhism is not only not Positivism, but not even Buddhism. Esoteric Brahminism or Zoroastrianism, &c., would be equally applicable to the system expounded in the letters written to Mr. Sinnett.

We have received a copy of a pamphlet entitled “ The Practice of Altruism ” with the sub-title of “ Universal Brotherhood,” from Bombay. A member of our active and energetic Branch there, has had 5,000 copies struck off for free distribution. It is a reprint of a lecture delivered by Dr. A. Keightley at the third annual convention of the American Section of the T. S. This is excellent work. The Vahan is an exceedingly welcome publication. For eighteen months the American section has set us the good example of the Theosophical Forum, which has gone monthly to every member of the Section gratis. The American Section and its subscription are both larger than the British Section, but the latter, for all that, is not going to be outdone in activity. So in its usual utopian fashion, with a smaller membership and smaller subscrip tion, it has broken out into a fortnightly “ Vehicle for the Interchange of Theoso phical News and Opinions," which is sent

“ A

free to every member on the books. The effort deserves the co-operation and sup port of every member of the Section who is in a position to aid it. Branch news and questions are required and every effort will be made to convince the mem bers that the “ Vahan ” is essentially their vehicle of interchange of news and opinions. The first number contains a short article by H. P. B. appealing to the “ working members ” and warning them of the “ Close of the Cycle.” This is fol lowed by interesting items of news, liter ary and scientific, with short accounts of the various “ activities.” The Theosophical Forum, No. 17, in its first answer tackles the question of Deva chan, and we congratulate the editor on his common-sense view of the subject. We had better learn the root states of matter first before prying too closely into the “ critical states.” Q. Ixxxii. ought to have been waste papered. The next question deals with emotions and the ele vating effect of the best music. From one point of view every principle has its “ emotions,” the different aspects of the One Motion, and each again has its reflec tion on our lowest terrestrial plane. But then this is not the meaning of the word emotion as commonly employed. All that is ordinarily called “ emotional ” should be suppressed, for it goes no higher than the animal human. The next answer is hardly clear in its terminology. The “ General ” is the “ Higher Ego.” Atma in Esotericism is out of all relation to finiteness and personality. Exoterically, that is to say in the Upanishads, &c., it is so used. The Golden Era of San Diego, Cala., con tains an exceedingly good paper by Dr. Jerome A. Anderson, F.T.S., on Evolu tion ; it deals with that very abstruse and difficult subject, the “ Emanation of the Universe” down to man; and that, too, in a most encouraging manner. We hope that it will have a wider field of ciiculation than that of the magazine. If it should be re-edited, it would be well to give the designation “ Causeless Cause ” to Parabrahm rather than “ First Cause.”

c h o ic e im p lie s lo s s .”

“ M an is th e o n ly in te r e s t to m a n .” “ T o a c t a c c o r d in g to th o u g h t is tr o u b le s o m e .” “ T

b e s t g o v e r n m e n t is t h a t w h ic h t e a c h e s u s to g o v e r n o u r s e lv e s .” G

oeth e.

^bfljsqiljirai Inttong libraries. T h e o s o p h i c a l L e n d in g L ib r a r ie s are to be found at the ad dresses given b e lo w . T h e list o f books and term s on w h ich th e y are len t w ill be sent by the resp e ctive lib rarian s on ap p licatio n .

B rig h to n . D u b lin . T h e

M rs. S . I. C h ase, 14, S tam ford R o ad . S e c re ta ry , D u blin T h eo so p h ica l S o c ie ty , 105, S tep h en 's G reen , S ou th . (B o o k s issued to M em bers and A sso cia te s on ly.)

E d in b u r g h . A . P . C a tta n a ch , 67, B ru n sw ick S treet.

(M o n d a y is th e most

con ven ien t d a y for enquirers.) L iv erp o o l.

J. H ill, 17, G re a t G eo rg e S tre e t. and A ss o c ia te s on ly.)

(B o o k s issu ed to M em bers

L o n d on .

T h e o so p h ica l P u b licatio n S o c ie ty , 7, D u k e S treet, A d elp hi, W .C . P h ila leth e a n L o d g e , 153, A c re L a n e , B rix to n , S .W . L ib rarian , H . C o ryn . (O pen to M em bers and A sso cia tes.) E a s t L on d on T h eo so p h ica l L ib r a r y , 345, M ile E n d R o ad , E . L ib r a r ia n , F . G . C h ap m an . R e a d in g R oom open every ev en in g free. M eetin gs e v ery T u e s d a y , ex c ep t the first of th e m onth. J. P . D ow lin g , 11, Y o rk R o ad , B a ttersea . T h e L ib r a r ia n is present e v e ry d a y ex c ep t T h u rsd a y , from 11 to 3 and 6 to 9. S u n d a y s 11 to 2. T h eo so p h ica l F re e L ib r a r y , 18, P a rk P la c e . E . M . T h om as.

M erth y r T y d fil.

N ew castle-on-T y ne. Sheffield.

L ibrarian ,

F . B an d on O ld in g , 30, H a rtin g to n S treet.

C . J. B a rk e r, 503, In ta k e R o ad . ------1------

BUI LDING

FUND.

Already a c k n o w le d g e d ........................................... /1097 14 9 N. Allan ................................................................... 25 o o A Theosophist (to repay l o a n ) ................................. 50 o o A Theosophist ......................................................... 150 o o L. J. W ........................................................................... 1 1 o

Less loan r e p a i d ..................................

1323 15 9 50 o o

/ i *73 15 9 The complete balance sheet will be submitted to the Council at the next meeting, and will then be audited and printed.

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