Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-26
THEOsOPHY AND SCIENCE.

Prof. Smell States What In His Belief IL True
and What Is False In the Blavatsky Teach
ings.
Mr.. Merwin-Marie Smell, secretary to the
rector Of the Catholic University of America,
lectured yesterday afternoon in the University
hall on the subject of The Truths of Theoso-
ply"
''No school of thought has ever arisen" he
said. (which did not make its contribution to
human progress, not one whose influence we
could wish to blot out from human history"
TheOsophy, he said, has its evangel of truth.
Its syncretism is false in so far as il abolishes
! the eternal distinction between truth and error
| and rejects the authority OF the church; but it
is true in SO far as it asserts the original iden
tity of all religions and the importance Of the
study OF archaic literature. Its monism il false,
because il denies the distinction between mind
and matter and the Creator Of them both.
Its thIumaturgy is false in so far as il justi-
fies communications with superhuman or sub
human inteligences. especially with fallen
gels or supposed spirits OF the dead, but true
IN so far as II insists upon the existence Of be-
ings and forces which modern science has not
discovered. Its mysticism il false in so far as
1t PROPOSES to derive the fundamental truths of
religion from an unauthenticated inner light,
or aims at the extinction of the human person.
atty, but true in lar it emphasizes the
OF TIE interior lie anu inspires 10
the ascent of the mountain of perfection.
In the course of the lecture Mr.. Smell de-
scribed at some length the supposed arkasa or
astral light, which is claimed to be the chief
instrument Of high magic" and also the ele-
mental spirits, corresponding to the fairies Of
popular tradition, who are supposed to be con-
trolled by the magician. lie showed that the
osophy condemned the practice OF spiritism
and all forms of necrOmancy. Referring to the
probable elements of truth in occult science he
said that the occulis.s. in the light Of recent
scientific investigation. were able to make q
very strong case. Modern physics has redis-
covered their ether and afiirms with them the
correlation of forces; chemical science is Oh
the verge of demonstration of the unity of
matter and no longer SCOTS at the transmuta-
ton OF the elements; biological science dis
covers worlds within worlds of living beings
hitherto unseen and unimaSined; psychology.
after several centuries of disdain. has at last
adopted bodily, under the name of hypnotism,
very important branch of magic; and. in
short, in every case in which controversy be-
tween occult and exoteric science has ap-
preached definite settlement, the latter has
turned ont to be in the wrong.
In discussing the teachings of the oriental
sacred books, to which theosophy calls our
particular attention, the speaker maintained by
a citation from the Buddhist gospel the ''pari-
nlbbana-sutta" that Buddha expressly stated
that he taught no esoteric doctrines whatever.
The archaic sacred lteratures appear to teach
very similar doctrines, and these. he said. cor
respond very closely to the present teachings
OF the Catholic church. In fact. he claimed all
the religions of the pagan world, like Judaism
and Professionalism. have arisen by schism from
the one, true. universal and primordial re-
Igion.
lie concluded by predicting unexampled
progress during the coming century III the
intellectual and spiritual realms.