The herald., 1896-04-27
Outlined With EIoquence by Act
ing President Buck
THE ANNUAL CONVENTION
Attended by Delegates From All Parts Of
the World
Convention Officers Elected and Resolutions
Adopted Denouncing Vivisection and
the Ignsrant Use Of Hypno.ism
Associated Press Special Wire.

annual convention of Theosophical So
ciety in America since it's reorganiza-
tion, and the tenth in the history of the
movement in this country, opened in
Madison Square Garden concert hall to-
day Delegates from the branches OF
the society in America, as well as prom
fnent representatives from England,
Ireland, Canada, Venezuela and Hol-
land numbering fully 800 were presented
when Acting President ]. N. Buck of
Cincinnati called the convention to or
der. Boston sent a delegation of
eighty-four members from various
branches in that city. Among the del
egates were G. M. Coffin, Washington;
Z. B. Rambo. Dr. j. A. Anderson, San
Francisco; Alpheus Smith, Mrs. A. d.
Leonard. c. A. Oles, Mrs s, Pratt and
Miss Eva Flates, Chicago; j. A. Jewett
Nashville; " r. Acheson and Anne l..
Acheson, Youngstown, o.; j. D. Bond,
Fort Wayne. Ind; M. A. Opperman,
Pittsburg; Mrs. Julia Verplanck keight-
ley, Philadelphia.
Acting President Buck delivered the
opening address. After dwelling upon
the work accomplished by the society
during the past year and it's present
prosperous condition, he referred touch
ingly to the late leader, William O.
Judge.
"Our leader was stricken with fatal
disease" he said. Yet, so well had he
done his work; so compact had proved
the organization he had formed. that
even now, when we have to record his
disappearance from the field of work
we record steady advance in the The
osophical society work Space nor time
can measure, nor can sickness and
death defeat. the accomplishment of
the work in which we are engaged
By and bye the world at large will real
ize as we do now the meaning and value
of that work. Then will the names of
H. P. Blavatsky and William Q. Judge
be honored for and measured by their
share in the work. Then will the world
learn why we honor their memory to-
day
But that day will not come until.
with dissolving creeds and the blight of
materialism, humanity cries with bleed
ing heart and weary feet for the pearls
of truth from the great fountain of
wisdom, that the great toiling, striving
masses do not now understand. do not
desire nor seek. and sometimes scorn
and ridicule the idea of the existence
of certain knowledge, which only proves
how low our civilization has sunken in
the slough of materialism already. The
external Indifference and internal Sc
renity with which we face misrepresen-
tation and ridicule has surprised even
cur detractors. 1t never seems to oc-
cur to them that they are openly con-
victing themselves and that they are
decently ashamed.
People are ready to listen. If we fail
or grow weary we deserve only the
scorn and contempt of mankind Our
literature extends backward to the
dawn of history. Our grand masters
laid the foundations of the pyramids;
solved the riddle of the sphinx and
mapped out the consultations The
mystics of Greece. from Pythagoras to
Plato, learned their secrets and became
immortal in the memory of man. The
shepherd kings and the wise men of the
past are our elder brothers.
What are all these hoary secrets but
knowledge of the origin, nature and
destiny of man and the methods of his
higher evolution? We can demonstrate
this step by step, and so help to restore
the lost chord in the weary pilgrfmage
or theosophy. Some of us recognize the
power that is back of this movement.
We do not work unaided and alone The
best we can do is to open up way for
those wiser than we to work for the
same great end
+. b. Ramo was chosen temporary
chairman and Elliott b. Page of New
York was named as permanent secre-
tary. The chairman then appointed
committees on resolutions and creden-
tials.
Claud Falls Wright nominated DIR.
Buck as permanent chairman, and he
was unanimously elected. The annual
reports of the secretary and treasurer
were then read and approved
RESOLUTIONS We're adopted eulogiZing
the president of the society, William O.
Judge. and calling upon all members to
offer themselves anew upon the altar of
sacrifice and to pledge their lives. for
tunes and sacred honors to endeavor to
Push forward to it's full completion that
ideal and perfect brotherhood of hui
manity which shall be without distinc-
t1on, creed or caste, and which was born
IN America amid blood and tears in
1176 and reincarnated in 1865 and attain
ed It's manhood in 1896. until America
snail become that which the guardians
OF the race and karma have already de-
creed, the hope of humanity, the refuge
or the oppressed. the protector of the
weak and the light toward which the
whole world may turn for encoIra ee-
ment and example
The committee reported a resolution
denouncing in scathing terms the bar
tering of occult powers and the indis-
criminate use of hypnotic powers by
the ignorant upon the ignorant. Added
to the resolution was section condemn
ing ViVisection. Several delegates OBJ
Jected to bringing this matter in and
the resolution was tabled.
A resolution was also adopted eulo-
gizing the late Baron Hirsch. declaring
tndt ne was one of natures nOhlemen
and true Theosophist in the aim of his
life and the basis of his conduct
Ihe Following officers We're elected.
PRESIDENT and treasurer. e. A. Neere-
sheimer New York; executive commit
tee. DE- Buck of Cincinnati Claude
Falls Wright of New York jerome A
Anderson of San Francisco A. II. Spen-
Ger of New York, Fl. T. Patterson of
Brooklyn and Dr. A. r. Ruchman of
Fort Wayne. Ind
At the night session of the convention
q bust of w. Q. Judge was unveiled.
and Claude F. Wright announced that
the society had decided to establish in
this city school for the revival of the
lost mysteries which We're known in the
carry history of Greece and India.
MEETING AT CHICAGO
CHICAGO. April 26-The tenth an
nual convention of the American section
OF the Philosophical society was held
here today. 1t was but small gather
ing of the old organization. Represen-
tatives were present from Chicago. San
Francisco. Portland. st. Paul, Mime
apolis, Toronto, Tacoma, Toledo, Los
Angeles. Las Vegas and Boise City. The
annual report of the grand secretary,
Alexander Fullerton of New York, was
read. The report deplored the schisn,
of q year ago congratulated the Ameri-
can section in holding together and pre-
dicted assistance from the masters, in
cluding our great and beloved leader
n. p B"