The herald., 1896-12-13
IN DEFENSE OF 1HE0SOPHY

In the verbatim report of the sermon
preached b. Rev. n. w. Lathe at the
Thanksgiving union service of the
churches of Pasadena a list of dangers
which threaten our young men is set
forth. beginning as follows: Home in
huence neglected.; too much amusement;
low standards of morality; card playing;
dancing; theaters; theosophy; spirit
ualism; matorialism profanity; gam
bling, etc, etc" ending with The sa-
loon and Intoxicating drinks.
No doubt the reverend gentleman is
unaware of the fact that many of the
churches OF his own denomination (Con-
gregationaD in the eastern states have
not only opened their doors to theo-
sophical lecturers, but in a number of
cases have shown a most commendable
spirit in inviting Mr. Burcham Harding,
the regular theosophical lecturer for the
eastern states, to occupy their pulpits
during the absence of the regular pas
tors. This is certainly a most encour-
aging sign, but it is indeed surprising
that in a city which boasts the large
proportion of cultured and educated cit
izens to which our own Pasadena may
justly lay claim. such narrow and intol-
Grant ideas should be expressed from
one of her pulpts. Certainly no one
will believe for moment that this
exceedingly small proportion of her in
telligent community. If people who have
the bad habit of exhibiting their gross
ignorance in such careless fashion as
to place theosophy in such category
would first take the trouble to inform
themselves even to the slightest ex-
tent, they might learn something to
their everlasting advantage. And in
cidentally, they might thus avoid the
imputation of having offered gratuitous
insult to a great body of men and women
who are known among all we'll Informed
people to be devoted to high ideal of
thought and conduct, towards which
they are sincerely and earnest
ly striving. This high ideal is
nothing less than to bring the
world to a realization of the fact that
all men are brothers; not simply in
sentiment, but it is demonstrated scien-
tificelly that an injury to one is an in
jury to all, and that only by working
unselfshly for the good of all humanity,
diligently searching for the truth and
living up to the highest and best that
WE know, can amy real progress be
said in his beautiful little work enti-
tied The Greatest Thing in the World:
HE who loves will love truth not less
than men; he will rejoice in the truth
rejoice not in what he has been taught
to believe not in this church's doctrine
oI liidt, iict III liiiS 1911 OT III IndI lSln,
but in the truth. He will accept only
what is real; he will strive to get at
facts; he will search for truth with a
humble and unbiased mind, and cherish
whatever he finds, at any sacrifice"
The Theosophical society has for its
motto, "There is no religion higher than
truth" and one of it's objects is to
increase the sum Of genuine charity in
the world by showing that all religions
have q common basis, and that the cub
stratum of truth in each has been so
encrusted with man-made dogmas and
creeds, that the real truth has to be
diligently searched for But when it
Is found, then it is that we begin to ap-
preciate the words of that great initi-
ate. the Apostle Paul, when he says,
"These three, but the greatest of these
is charity" Not mere alms-giving, or
anything Of that nature. but charity of
thought and feeling-such a genuine
charity a. leads one to have the same
liberation and respect for the beliefs
and opinions Of others as he demands
for his own. The only requirement for
!. one who wishes to Join the Theosophical