The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-15
A LADY TIIE0S0PHIST.
MRS. THIRDS ON THE DIRECT
KNowLEDGE DOCTRINE.
Once All Religions Taught Universal
brotherhood Buddhism Com
ing Lectures.

nOunced, Mrs. Inlrds Is IheosOphlst,
indeed leader in that school of moral
science, and visits Honolulu for the ex-
press purpose of delivering series of
lectures upon this subject, a subject
which is now holding the attention of
the enlightened world.
Mrs. Thirds is lady of great intelli-
gence, possessed of broad and liberal
mind accustomed to delve to ultimates
for truth, and then to separate the mug
gets OF worth from the dross, by exer-
else OF strong reasoning faculties. Mrs.
Thirds, however, has not always been a
Theosophist; but, in her own words,
was born skeptic-an Atheist, perhaps.
Her father was and is an agnostic,
being a believer in the principles and
doctrines as enunciated by Colonel
Robert Ingersoll. Therefore, reared in
an atmosphere of free thought, with sur
roundings that encouraged explorations
into the world and universe of reason.
from the simple fact that the child
mind was not given theories to feed
upon, Mrs. Thirds drifted into realistic
conception of the cosmos, and from ma
terialism into the broader field OF
Theosophy.
Like other people, at that stage of
human existence at least, the concrete,
the material was accepted; and SO the
abstract--the spiritual; but as an OBJ
scurity-a mysticism too profound and
distant to be encompassed by the mind.
Theosophy, she thinks, puts this COM
mon theory to flight and enables the
reason to explore the hidden things of
the spirit, or abstract life.
After years of study and teaching
Mrs. Thirds says she is proud to be
called a follower Of Madam Blavatsky.
She does not call the belief creed but
rather system, and says that it com.
bines philosophy, science and religion,
all of which give birth to, nourish and
support the doctrine.
Speaking to a representative of the
STAR Tuesday afternoon Mrs. Thirds
stated that the very first principle of
Theosophy was universal brotherhood,
freedom of opinion and religious toler-
ance. The belief, the system was not
religion, but was a reformer of religion.
1t found good things in all creeds and
sought but the truth in all.
Continuing, upon an intimation to
that effect, she said: Eyes, our belief is
often accused of having sprung from
Buddhism. Some call us Buddhists
and all such things. But we decline to
accept the Impeachment. Theosophy is
independent of creeds."'
Later, however, she admitted that
Theosophy was more closely allied to
the Buddhist religion, and bore a
stronger affinity to that creed than any
other. In explanation of this position
she stated that the religious tolerance
for the Buddhisis had enlisted the SYM
pathy of Theosophists and had brought
about degree of fellow-feeling which
might not be encountered in the con-
nection of Theosophy with other creeds,
including Christianity.
I'm the beginning all creeds were the
same," she said. 1.-The fundamental
doctrines of the sages were identical
in spirit. Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus and
perhaps Confucius, when on earth,
taught the same truths. There should
be no difference in them to-day.
''Buddha taught universal brother
hood, so did Ioroaster, so did Jesus but
tho followers of all have departed more
or less from those teachings. Christ
taught more than we have record OF. 1t
is not to be supposed for a moment that
during his life as a teacher, a leader, a
founder OF a religion that he taught and
did no more than is recorded in the
New Testament. The student of Theos-
ophy can read much in the writings OF
the apostles, and can see much behind
of which there is no account"
She continued by saying that the fol-
lowers OF Jesus had gone wide OF the
mark OF His teachings. From sect in
religious tolerance it had become one OF
intolerance and persecution. OF the
many, Buddhism is the only religion
which holds scrupulously to the teach
ings of the sages.
"Jesus was sage" she said. "When
l first studied the bible this was, per-
haps, not forcible impression. :. But by
the more efficient agency OF Theosophy
l class the founder of the Christian
religion among the greatest of the sages.
He has given the public as much as they
could understand; so has Buddha and
Ioroaster and Confucius.
Philosophy is a turning from the
material to the abstract side of things.
We look upon and study the abstract,
the spiritual, the sentimental We
hold that the spiritual is not hidden, not
impenetrable, but that it can be studied
as anything else. OF course II is diff
cult, and for that reason must be
studied with trained comprehension.
"We are not llattrlalists. We do
net say that the soul is faculty or a
thing within the body, but that the
body is house for the soul. Through
the abstract of human life we persevere
after truth, That is our aim; that is
our element. 1t is philosophy, science
and religion combined from which we
extract-truth.
Philosophy is reformer of religion.
IL is the agency by which the teachings
of the sages are to be restored and intro
duced into psychical and practical life,
1t obstructs not, but seeks the fact
from all creeds.
people have misconceptions of us,
They call us spiritualists and nearly all
of the 'isms But because | do not be