The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-08
TheOsOphy.

Theosophy has often met with an undo
served rebuff from people who might other
wise have been tempted to study it,
through an initial understanding suggested
by the meaning we attach to the word.
Divine wisdom tits literal translation) does
not mean the wisdom of God in tie sense
attached in our day to the term, but rather
that of 1.-THE gods' according to the ideas
possessed on the subject by the Alexan-
drian school Of philosophers, and this sug-
| gests to US either the belief in a mythical
mythology; or else, if explained, the ex-
| PLANTATION seems too far fetched to be seri-
ously entertained. That this latter should
seem so is not to be wondered at, since be-
fore we can understand what is meant by
''the gods" sufficiently to realize the prac-
tical reality of their existence, we must
| undertake thorough analysis of the nature
of physical and psychic life, and learn how
these blend in a spirituaul Mon more or less
latent in every form of matter; endowing
| them with godlike potentiality. In the
age of faith which characterized the ri Sc
and decline of Greek ethical philosophy
when the WORD Theosophy first came into
use, the existence OF the gods was an &C
OCpGCI 1uCO. anu Glllo U4luu acceptance uESb
vulgarized and then entirely destroyed the
delicate conceptions which underlay their
rdiSofl d. etre. 1t is to be hoped that in
| these days of criticism and of reason, no
such fate awaits the revival of these ancient
truths, revival which gives them all the
added significance due to our present
knowledge OF nature.
Still III must be admitted that faith is nee
| essary at the outset Of theosophical inquiry
| ian inquiry which rewards the student
| with conceptions of life far surprising the
dreams of the most enthusiastic votaries OF
modern science). And this Is surely not
too much 20 ask, for many of US give an un-
questioned faith to the operation OF the ex-
istence of a personal God. While even the
skeptical are necessarily compelled to make
use Of this faculty. For just as no religion
can get along without little faith, so no
action IN even everyday life can success
fully be undertaken unless we have faith
in our power to carry it out Therefore,
| Theosophy pleads for that faith which pre-
cedes the first act of inquiry. IL says,
ny GU need only have enough TO carry you
| through the work required by study of
the facts and theories which | shall present
! to you, and then If you have used your rea-
son, faith will become knowledge" But
these are not the only difficulties which
Theosophy has to contend with; there is
| one obstacle woven into the very spirit of
1AAC eISCf dub WHlCu PCSSSSoCS q POWSNIuA
deterrent influence. 1t is the prevailing
spirit of monotheism. If we look at life
from a materialist's point of view we feel
sure that there is but one 'frst cause"
| while Theosophy seems to talk o. many. If
we are believers in church dogmas we rec
ognize the propriety of but one God, where
as here we have plurality. We shall in
| fact put up our hands in virtuous horror,
whether we are saint or sinner, protested
follower of the churches or of materialism.
This determined monotheism would in
deed prove fatal were it not that Theoso-
ply is in strict agreement with this idea.
True it offers to teach US the wisdom of
"the gods" but it also recognizes One, the
cause and the Father of all, before whom
it bows in silence, refusing even to name
Him. Here on this distant apex of the
universe. both philosopher, materialist,
and churchman may meet in one common
bond of union. For here is the ultimate
idea which rationalists arrive at, the one
God which monotheism claims as the source
of all. Thomas Williams, Fellow Theo-
sophical society. Holly Lodge, England.
CONTINUED NEXT SUNDAY.