The herald., 1895-09-07
MATTERS PHILOSOPHICAL
The Local Society Enthused Over
an Arrival
DEWDROP IN SHINING SEA
An Interview With Abbott B. Clark of
San Francisco
Nature in Its Spiritual as Well as
Physical Aspects


is enthused over the arrival of Abbott b.
Clark of San Francisco a well known
speaker ON theosophy and general reform
subjects. Mr.. Clark was formerly res &
dent of Los Angeles, and is pleased to SCI
his favorite city ranking close second
to the metropolis of the west
In an interview Mr.. Clark said: 1.-THE
Theosophical society of America is the
highest proouct Of human evolution. 1t
is as broad as thought and as free and
unsectarian as our public schools. 1t has
for its object the formation of nucleus
of brotherhood OF mankind without
any distinction whatever. IL can hope to
accomplish the task by removing the
causes which make men fiends instead of
brothers. These causes are ignorance and
selfishness. This selfshness instead of be-
ing eradcated. is daily strengthened and
stimulated into ferocious and irresist-
BILE feeling by the present religious educa-
tion, which tends not only to encourage
but positively to justify it. Peoples
ideas about right and wrong have been
entirely perverted 5y the literal accept
ance of the Jewish Bible. All the unself-
ishness of the teachings of Jesus has be-
come merely subject for pulpit oratory,
while the selfishness caught in the Mosaic
Bible. against which Christ so vainly
preached, has become ingrained into the
life of the western nations. AN eye for
an eye and a tooth for tooth has be-
come the first maxim of our law.
"Tnis mistake can be remedied by
teaching men better; by proving on logi-
nd nj a dc
that all men are brothers IN nature and
fact; and this we can do, for theosophy is
an accurate science of all the laws of
nature IN her spiritual as we'll as physi-
cal aspects. All men are brothers in this
way: In the first place thev all have the
same origin, both spiritually and physi-
cally, whether from God or nature-call
1t what you will they are all of the same
being and permeated by the same essence.
Being parts of one life and spirit, we are
all connected as drops of water in
pond. A stone thrown into pond will
disturb every drop Of water therein. So
an act or thought OF man sets in mott on
causes, or karma, which will raise or
lower the whole race.
''This is based upon the natural, theo-
sophical and scientific laws of force and
vibration. Sir Isaac Newton said that
the first law of force was that faction
and reaction are equal and in opposite
directions This is scientific way OF
saying that chickens will come home to
roost Of course we generally object to
being maze the roOst for our own folly.
but all our objections do not prevent US
from reaping rs we have sown.
~ believe in Justice, the m ost strict and
| absloute retributive justice. 1t is natural
law and not vicarious atonement. There
| is no such thing as vicarious progress
| and all is progress in theosophy. We do
| not believe, in praying or asking for
! things which we are too lazy to earn for
ourselves. We believe in action, not sup
plication; in deeds. not creeds.
Il do not 60 back upon the teachings
of Christ. The church has gone back on
them and stocked the country with an
overplus of creeds and dearth of religion.
Theosophy stands up fur the teachings
of Christ in all their purity and unsefish-
ness; as it does also for Buddha, Zoroas-
ter, Plato and Blavatsky.
mo; Nine. Blavatsky was not an ad-
venturess and:a disreputable woman--that
was Natalie Blavatsky, a circus rider, and
no connection Of Nine. Helena p.
BIAvatsky, the adept, founder of the
one of the highest families of Russia !;
was, in fact, second cousin to Gar Alex
an1er ii, but gave up all her society at
fractions and devoted two fortunes to
learning and teaching theosophy.
"Adepts are men. real men who have
hood and the spiritual powers latent in
all. They have sacred lodges be-
yond those of the Masons, though
not at all connected with that body. They
are everywhere helping evolution. and
are building great school OF philosophy
in America to exceed that of Alexandria
or Athens.''
Mr.. Clark is making lecture tour Of
Southern California, and has been greeted
with packed houses, especially in San
Diego. where many people were turned
away, unable to get seats or standing
room. He will deliver course OF SUM-
day night lectures IN the Royal Bakery
hall, opposite the Nadeau.