The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-04-27
PHILOSOPHICAL CONVENTION.
People Who Think They Have Lived on
Earth Before Meet April IS.

Boston, Mass, April 22.-Have you
lived on earth before?
On April rs mex a convention of peo-
pie who think they have will be held in
Boston. The theosophists of America
will hold their annua meeting. 1t vas
10 many years ago that the onven
tons of the ~Theosophical society were
small affairs, attracting little atten-
ton. Not so now. Like Masonry, the
osophy has taken root all over the
world. and this within the short period
of nineteen years, for the society was
organized only in 1876. In America
alone there are now 101 branches. Can
ada. South America, the West Indies
and the Hawaiian Stands belong to
America according to he theosophical
map, and will be represented at the con
vention. In Canada there are half a
dozen branches, in Honolulu one, in
Grenada. h. w. l., one. and in Peru one,
There are also theosophists in Mexico,
but. not existing as an organized so
ciety there, they will not have dele
gates.
Wheel this fin de steele convention will
have adjourned cultured Boston will
have something to think about for the
rest of the year.
Here are some Of the main beliefs of
theosophy, which will be discussed.
!. Man lives many lives on earth.
2. If he is happy or unhappy in this
life it is because he is having measured
TO him what he meted to Others in a for
mer life.
3. A secret brotherhood of perfected
men exists, with headquarters at Thibet,
INC has branches all over the world.
All of its members are men of the Christ
II Buddha type. They have the
power of assuming any form and OF
transporting themselves to the most
distant places on earth at viii, and,
though they mingle constantly with
men, are seldom recognized. They sent
Nine. BlaVatsky to organize the Theo-
sophical society, which they watch over
and protect. All the members of this
brotherhood have lived thousands of
years.
Notwithstanding that about 95 per
cent hold these and other beliefs, the
society as a society holds no doctrines
of any kind. Under the constitution
the society cannot be committed to any
dogma. even il belief in 1t should be
unanimous. But as individuals Its
members can hold any belief. A man
may be a Buddhist, Christian. Jew, Mo-
hammedan or spiritualist. and expound
his beliefs. But he must subscribe to
the doctrine of universal brotherhood,
which means that all men are brothers
by virtue of being sons of one God, and
that all religions must be tolerated.
Their is also no distinction as to sex or
color in the society. negroes being con-
sidered as possessing souls as well as
white men. From his 1t would seem
there would be a great diversity of
belief among the members. Blu the
contrary is the act. The teachings of
the mysterious brotherhood whom Nine.
Blavatsky represented are peculiarly
synthetic and ~harmonizing and show.
as theosophists believe, that the vari-
u religions on earth are only different
expressions of a common doctrine-one
truth clothed in various garments. 1t Is
claimed that the three views above emu
merated were tnught, though in a
yelled form. by all the great religious
teachers and philosophers.