New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-09
"ESOJERIC CHRISTIANITY"
A LECTURE BY CLAUDE FALLS WRIGHT IN CHICK.
ERING HALL

y
ERING HALL
The following is an abstract o, a lecture on ESQ
,src Christianity" delivered by Claude Falls
Wright at Chckering Hall yesterday morning.
What appea~s n the four Gospels does not contain
all the teachings OF Jesus. This is by no means
new statement but one that has been recognized
al along by the students of the Christian teach
ines Ar the end of the Gospel, according to St.
John IL is stated that II everything that Jesus said
or did was written down the world would not con-
tain the books that should record them. Three OF
the four Gospels are practically identical, ana the
fourth ST. John, differs only slightly. Hence the
churches are In the remarkable position OF making
the merest fractional part OF the teachings OF Jesus
answer the purpose OF complete and final philos-
ophy of life
The question Laturally arises Knowing so little OF
Christ's teachings. would not a knowledge OF His
un-ecorded and doctrines give an entirely d-
ferent aspect to Christianity?
Mr. Wright said il easy 10 show that they
would Although Christs esoterc teachings were
lost because uurecorded It still possible 10 ar
rive approximately at what they must have been by
4 comparison Of everything In Christianity which
could be found in older religions where esotericism
had been preserved The amount of priceless via
dom 10 be thus recovered was by no means small.
for strangely enough. the oder religions were far
more complete in their recorded teachings than
Christianity. The communion service, Tor instance,
did not originate with Christianity; the different
feast DAYS were all 10 be found in the ancient
Egyptian calendar Christmas Day Easter Good
Friday those considered sacred By many as
being the actual dates Of the birth. the death and
resurrection OF Jesus those fixed by the move
nsnts of the planets in the Chaldean Zodiac. which
artedates the birth OF Christ
The crucifxIon which was universally accepted
by theologians as meaning the physical act o. nai-
ing a body to a cross. found in the Hindu and
Egyptian religions to have esoterc value or alto
gether different Significance with them X meant
this: The physical body OF man standing uptisht
with legs together and arms spread out HORIZONTAL
10 the shoulders Is perfect cross, ana the spirit
IN entering this human cross was considered AS
the body il was imprisoned and limited and tor
tured by being compelled 10 witness the indugences
ana gratncatons O, t!s alma oy ~ ~ u.s.
cases without the strength 10 control H. ana even
In the Of Jesus. where the spirit was strong
enough 10 master the bocy, II was yet cruclnxion
to inhabt t. because the body, De II ever so per
feet could not be otherwise than conffnns 10 the
bCundess spirit. Archaeologists had been amazed
TO nnd In the initiation chambers OF the
Egyptian pyramids and discover that part OF
cert ain ceremonies consisted in the neophytes being
bound TO the cross. being thus perfect repre-
ssntatlon of cruclhxon but FOR the nails
Again, the descent of Jesus into hell for three
days and His consequent resurrection was an idea
to be found In every ancient religion and IN all but
Christianity Is understood 10 be an experience every
initiate goes through. descending IN spirit into the
lowest astral Internal regions TO test his strength
to overcome severe trials.
Jesus walking the water far from being
a miracle. said the speaker that not only the
mention OF the power but description as TO how
10 attain IL may be- found In Patanialrs Yoga
Aphorisms" Hindu book some 5000 years old M
Wright said he was In possession OF copy or tins
Through a study OF theosophical literature. Mr..
Wright urged. the esoterc meaning OF the Bible
could be understood ana knowledge or the I'M
recorded teachings OF Jesus gained for one or the
three objects OF the Theosoph!ca Society was the
was this school which had handed down the secre
interpretations OF all esoterc teachings.