The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-08-25
MRS. THIRDS LECTURE
THE RELATION OF THEosoPHY TO
EVOLUTION.
Mental pictures of the seven Planes -
SeiHshness and the Lower-Man
Is n God.

A large and intelligent audience
listened to Mrs. Thirds lecture on the
subject of Evolution and Theosophy,"
at Foster hall Friday evening at 8
o'clock. Every chair was occupied and
the adjoining apartment was thrown
omen 20 accommodate the overflow.
During the progress of the lecture
which continued for nearly an hour the
congregation listened in deep silence, a
silence which was never broken until
the close, when there was an outburst
of applause. During her remarks Mrs
Thirds was slow, deliberate, accentu-
ating here and there, holding on this
principle and seeking to impress that
idea, while spiriting the mind through
theories of destiny and the peculiar
views relating to the matter held by
Theosophists. 10 say little, Mrs.
Thirds is an impressive speaker; her
words are musical her appearance is
prepossessing, and her delivery is
wonderfully clear. To her audience
last night she said:
1t is usual to define evolution as a
progression or unfolding of an imper-
feet thing to n thing more perfect.
Science does not explain it. When
asked, "What is forceT' science says,
1--WE do not know" When asked,
"What is matter" science says, 1--WE
study it as phenomenal; of its essence
we know nothing. Life is a collection
of atoms, made matter by cohesion,
arranging themselves together in such
positions that forms begin to evolve"
One of the sciences explains that
thought is secretion of the brain, that
life is phenomenal; that matter is only
reality so far as we know, and with it
and force, whatever that may be, we
have an explanation of the
universe. Postulating, they assume
universal, omniprescent, eternal prin-
ciple, and, while telling us to begin
there, inform us that this eternal prin-
ciple is unknowable.
Spirit and matter reasoned conformity
are the only two principles by which we
can study the universe. You may call
it God if you like. Theosophy calls it
Absolute. We do not reason matter as
matter, but as an essence. The spirit
and matter are one and the same thing.
Throughout the broad expense Of the
universe spirit is ever acting in matter,
because it is one and the same. Spirit
is the inwardness-the conscience of the
universe; matter is its clothing, The
two cannot be separated, though they
may be studied apart.
1t has been declared that there are
seven aspects, capacities or planes in
nature; seven aspects to understand
seven planes to be reached, seven capa.
bilities to be unfolded before evolution
is complete.
So if we regard the universe as con.
science, there are seven consciences
There is no dead matter; consciousness
is to be found on every plane. On the
higher plane we find the pure, the per
feet, the divine intelligence reigning
Thought is the formation or creation o
the universe. The divine intelligence il
the cosmos is the universal mind. You
may call it nature if you like. From
the plane of intelligence consciousness
OF life has always energy of its own.
The ancients did not conceive cleo
tricity to be god, but the divine intel
ligence behind it. Does life energy
which springs from the divine plane o
intellect, produce all changes we know
of in matter? 1t is PHILOSOPHERS
principle that some forms hav
their origin from sound Sound
have produced various forms OIL
the different planes OF the universe
On the plane of mind the energy move
or is thrown outward and produces diff
ferent degrees of what we call matter
which becomes ethereal forms. We d
not contend that there is no etherea
substance, but that such occurrences ar
phenomenal and is formed by the spiri
planes. But when in the course G
evolution the mineral is attained W
contend that the monadic or atomica
force is turned backward and the spiri
begins.
The term evolution implies an idea G
something to be developed and unfolded
The sight OF a tree brings up the idea c
seed; the seed, an idea of germ. W
plant an acorn and we know an oak wi
grow; we plant corn and we know wha
to expect. We invariably find befor
anything unfolds something within
capable OF unfolding. This is the fore
which underlies evolution. 1t Ina
power to develop, to lift to fhighe
planes, from one triumph to anothe
and to unfold capabilities. In this tn
principle or theory goes ahead.
differs from modern science; but it e,
plains life, tells destiny and is th
underlying principle of evolution.
According to our philosophy when IL
monadic force goes back it first pr,
duces spirit in the mineral, proceeds
the vegetable and finally to man. b.
is man product OF these lower planes
Nay, he comes OF much more than thi
In him alone is the perfection of u
divine intellect reflected. In man
the power to reach up nearer to IL
divine; he is a temple filter to recei,
the faint CLEAN of that higher intel
gence. You may consider him an il
carnation of the divine. Man is capab
of reaching up to where the divine
seen. Indeed, he is a god in amin
form, and has the capacity for Il
infinite.
The theory of evolution, or monad
and sniritnal disnlacamant Inv cyclaa