The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-06
RECENT PHILOSOPHY.
Aud It's Antagonism to tho ChrIstian
Ral[Ofon

| Religion.
The following by Rev. ". 7. Lhamon,
| was condensed for and published In the
| Literary Digest from paper IN the An
| dover Review. Boston:
/ Recent theosophy IS antagonistic to
| Christianity in three main points.
| In the first place, II is pantheistic.
| Madame Blavatsky, IN her key to Theo-
| sophy." kind OF catechism, written
| evidently for supplemented people, on
/ tho question-and-answer plan, makes
use of the following dialogue: do you
| believe IN God?" Answer: THAT depends
| on what you mean by the term" Il
mean" says the inquirer. "the God Of
the Christians, the Father Of Jesus. and
the Biblical God Of Noses, In short" An
swer: "In such a God we do not believe
We reject the idea OF a personal or an ex-
ira cosmic and anthropomorphic God. who
is but a gigantic shadow Of man, and not
man at his best either. The God OF theolo-
gy, we say-and we prove it's bundle OF
contradictions and logical impossibiiity.
Therefore. We viii have nothing TO do with
Him." A page futher down, this Key" is
made to say: I'VE believe In a Universal
Divine principle, the root I'll, from which
all proceeds and within which all shall be
absorbed AT the end Of the great cycle Of
being" Following this deliverance OF dog
ma are two or three pages given 10 the
defense OF the system against the charge
Of pantheism but the highpriestess ends
the chapter by finding Universal Deity
In every atom OF her cigarette-ash.
In the second place: In contrast with
Christianity, theoeophy teaches reincar-
nation. 1t goes without saying that Mrs.
II. p. Blava tsky picked up this doctrine
in India and adopted II as fitting natural
ly into her pantheism and fatalism. In
Justice to theosOphy. however, we gladly
note that the old Hindu doctrine is slight
ly refined TO suit European and American
tastes. In n country where lizards and
cows are not worshipped, II would hardly
do TO try 10 proselyte people 10 the
faith that they and their children may
be reborn as lizards, cats, or cows.
TheOsOphy confines reinsarnatiOn 10
the human race. for which merciful
limitation we should all of US be devout-
~ thankful Theosophy declares that
only through reincarnation can a know
ledge OF human life be made e,,haustive;"
that "reincarnadon gives occasion for the
development of all those faculties which
can only be developed during incarna-
tom" that "only through reincarnation
is the unsatisfying nature OF material
life fully Demonstrated that "the subor-
dination Of the lower 10 the higher nature
Is made possible by many earth lives"
that ''reincarnation gives scope for exact
Justice 10 every man." and that 'reincar-
nation secures variety and copiousness
10 the discipline we all require" From
the Christian standpoint It would be
hard 10 pronounce dogmas more iabby
In the third place: Together with the
doctrine Of reincarnation and as a COM
ment to II there goes the doctrine Of the
Karma. Mr.. Walter Old, in his little
book, entitled What Is Theosophy?" says
that the two doctrines are so intimately
related that separate treatment OF either
is not entirely possible" The doctrine OF
the Karma is the doctrine of consequences.
Mr.. r.. G. Ingersol preached 1t in the
United States before we had heard OF
Madame Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott as
theosophists. II would be becoming In
them TO tip their hats to him as their
forerunner In this branch OF pagan teach
ing. He is their John the Baptist. This
doctrine, however. is older far than any
school that is properly called modern can
be- Like the doctrine Of reincarnation,
the Karma has It's roots deep down and
far back In Rrahministlc and Buddhistic
pantheism. Buddha taught II. and 10
this day scholars are divided as 10
whether or not Buddha was an atheist
You are under the non-personal. merci-
less law OF cause and effect. Your present
incarnation is the result OF your former in
carnations, and your next Will be the re-
suit OF this. II is useless 10 repent, for
there Is no one to forgive. The TT
from which all Things emanate-emanate.
notice. for according 20 this system. moth
ing Is created or made. another proof Of
It's pantheism. by the way-and 10 which
all things return. will not, can not bear
you when you pray. saying. Father, / |
have sinned against Heaven and In thy !
sight, and am no more worthy 20 be CALI |
ed thy son; make rne as one of thy hired |
servants" No, II Is a question OF conse-