The herald., 1895-11-18
Iheosnpiicai Society

Mr.. Leader delivered q lecture yester
day evening at Odd Fellows hall, the
subject being The Evidences of The
osophy. The lecturer said: Theosophy is
the root of all knowledge - spiritual,
mental, moral and physical; it is divine
wisdom. The rules of life as taught by
theosophy are the highest ethics ever
known 10 the world. The Sermon on the
Mount and the Golden Rule were taught
by the expounders of the hidden wisdom
ages before Christianity was ever thought
of. But these ethics are based upon the
philosophy which is very deep, very
su bile and very intricate. 1t is my pur-
pose tonight to try asd give You good
reasons for the study OF theosophy. The
fundh mental doctrines are the unity OF
the universe in its totality, and its cease
less ebb and flow IN periodic manifesto.
ton and absorption; that the universal
life pervades every stom of space i'll the
universe; that tEis universe exists for
the evolution of the soul, which evolution
is carried on by means of countless rem
carnations in matter; that progress, when
once the huann stage has heen reached,
Is only to be obtained BY ceaseess effort
ana struggle towards the divine. The
evidences which we will consider tonight
are mainly historical. Noltaire mas said :
In the chaus OF popular superstition
there existed an institution which haj ever
prevsatsd man from falling into absolute
bar barlty-it was the mysteries.
DR.. Warburton has told US that Tine
wisest and best men in the pagan world
are unani nous in this, that the mysteries
were instituted pure and proposed the
noblest ends BY the worthiest means.
Professor Huxley IN the Ancient Re-
liglons OF the World, says that the result
II l., r. -
that the mysteries all come from one
primeavl religion revealed to man from
without; he also says that this philoso-
ply was presented to the world by the
masters of those who know.
in all religions there has been the
exoteric and the esoteric, Buddha taught
the doctrines CT the heart and tho doc.
trlne OF the eve. Jesus said Unto you
it is given to know the mysteries OF the
kingdom of heaven, but to those that are
without all this is done in parable etc.
The Zohar says ''the narratives Of the
dvctrine are its cloak. The simple look
at the garment that is upon the MARIA
tive. The instructed, however, see not
merely the cloak. but what the cloak
covers
Clement of Alexandra tells us of the
Eleusinian mysteries that the doctrines
there taught contained In them the end
of all instruction, as they were taken
from Moses and the prophets This
shows the identity OF pagan and Christ
ian mysteries.
All the worlds religions contain the
doctrine of the trinity, the preceding
from tine One, unmanifested, the trinity
being the creative aspect of the One; and
in all religions Sod incarnates this IN
carnating sririt. The light that lighteth
every man that cometh into the world.
is tue Christ, the God principle in man
which is ever crucified in matter. The
wisdom religion always has existed and
will always remain to he the refuge and
help of those who worship God in spirit
and in truth, without narfowness or big
otrv. who are ever ready to learn, yet
not credulous; who have the faith OF lit
tie children, but desire, to prove all
things,'