The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-12-17
IN RE THEOSOPHY.
The Absurdities and Impieties Of
the Latest New Religion Briefly
Summarized.
ANNIE BESANT'S VAGARIES,

The Difference Between a Theo-
sophist and a Spiritualist Luz 1.
cidly Explained.
In view Of the fact that Mrs, Annie
Besant, the brilliant Irish woman, is
Iecturing this week in Minneapolis on
"Theosophy," the fvllowing contribution
on this occult subject by A. F. Marshall,
a noted English convert to Catholicity,
is given to our readers as it appeared in
the Boston Pilot of a recent date:
As regards the beginning and the end
Of ali things, Theosophy teaches nothing,
knows nothing. It processes only to be
"new" religion in this one sense, that it
embraces all that is good in every other
religion. It is really new, however, in
this one sense alone, that it disallows the
personality Of God. All other human
religions, in all ages, have firmly clu1 g
to the belief in personal God. Theos-
ophy Ia most unwarranted mlsnomerD
puts an Idea into the place tf the per-
sonal God. The science, so called, Of
this new religion would appear to be
something of this kind--if We may take
the liberty OF compressing it in q few
words. A primeval revelation, date un-
known, conveyed body Of hidden wis
dom to a favored few, and this hidden
wisdom, called the Book of Truth, is
kept in secret libraries in the East, and
in the custody Of certain wondrous Ini-;
tiates, who are known as Mahatmas or
Great Spirits. These Great Spirits have
the power of communicating their wis
dom, or rather rays Of light from their
luminosity, to such few favored por-
sons Madame Blsvatski, for example)
as may from time to time seem fitted to
be recipients. Among these rays of i'm
parted wisdom these hints of supreme
science-are the following three teach
ings IN particular:
l l. The spirit of man Is spark Of One
Eternal Existence; and this spark has to
pass th. ough various forms, various lives,
various long protracted incarnations; un-
til, by good use OF probations, it merits
absorption into reality, or, by bad use,
sinks down into annihlation. Metem-
psychoses and re-incarnations 60 on for
centuries, SO that the prospect of the
Theosophist is long one, stretching pos
sibly over several thousands ofyears.
q Even when q good soul Tor good
spark-we know not what has worked
its way up to the highest possible per-
fection, it can il it likes forego it's own
enjoyment and become again incarnate,
to benefit others. It may keep on doing
this for centuries, or for ages, or SO long as
there is any one to be benefited. We
may gather something Of the wondrous
virtues of these superior sparks when
they have attained to the highest per-
fection Of their Theosophy, from the
fact that Buddha, Confucius, naylf we
must repeat such profanity Christ Him
self, we're all '.Ni1manakyas, or the high
est attainable types Of Mahatmas.
3. And just one word to show that this
Theosophy is the deadly enemy of the
Christian religion. There is no forgive
ness Of sins for the Theosophist. his
debts must be paid in full by his own
righteousness. Blind, automatic, nom
intelligent" is the Law Of retribution for
the Theosophist; OF, as it has been well
called, "transcendentally materialistic :
Indeed, it would be difficult to conceive
Of any religion which should be more
antagonistic to Christianity. The pride
ofit, and the perpetual self ficiency,
are the exact opposite Of the teachings
Of the Church. Moreover, the Divinity
OF Our Lord is Of course denied. Mans
divinity (self-made) takes it's place, Thus
We read in Mr.. Kingsland's "Esote1ic
Basis Of Christianity: . ssThe personal
attachment to the life and character Of
Jesus Of Nazareth may still remainin all
degrees and forms. It even becomes
greater and stronger when, we under.
stand the trne nature Of His humanity.
Jesus Christ il both human and divine,
because We are such. 3" In short, Our.
Lord was no more Divine than are His
creatures; or than His creatures may
become BY their own merits.
d As this new; relic ron is finding favor
with many Protest it may Be we'll to-
dwell Tor moment On its absurdities.
We may briefly summarizes these absurd.
tiles ia the following order The rev
elation, 81 \ which IL is supp posed q q hayeI
been founded, rests "a ~ hil her aut d
.ity than inag ginatio sII3,ook aof all11
,Trut VI has only lbeen seer, b e lect
whose names ansl sds q nv not
pnblia 4 ii Il, INV I J. hs a.,e 4