The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-09-10
Elementary Theosophy.


In the preceding articles of this series a
brief explanation of some of the things
that TheOSOphy teaches has been at
tempted, and it may now naturally occur
to the reader to ask from whence do these
teachings come. This at once brings up
belief that perhaps has aroused more
discussion and more antagOnism from our
western world than any other of the
ideas put forward in this philosophy-the
belief in mast ers or adopts, which theoso-
phiStS hold, and which to the more prom
inent members of the Society has become
not a belief merely, but a subject of ac-
tual knowledge
Every great world religion has back of
it an authOrlty-SOme one supposed to
have known more than the ordinary run
of humanity, about the things he taught :;
and in nearly every one such an authOri-
ty is supposed by the faithful to have
been either the Deity himself in human
shape or else person divinely inspired
by the Deity. Thus Christianity has it's
Christ, Buddhism its Buddha, and SO on,
all of whom, as it is only now to be seen
taught but phase of the same essential
truth each one Suiting his teaching to
the age and people TO which he came,
Now it is the claim of Theosophy that
these We're but men who, through unset
tise and right effort, perhaps continued
through many lives, has succeeded in full
ly conquering their lower natures and de-
Velopfng their spiritual powers, thereby
gaining in consequence control over the
more subtle forces of nature which made
their so-called miracles possible They
each one of them, gave the people to
whom they came, what could be readily
understood at that time, and taught
them a code of ethics to live by; but there
was vast amount of knowledge concern
ing spiritual things that they possessed
that their hearers could not comprehend,
~, so +laxr 10, g., I.o
themselves Now and then they would
perhaps find one fitted to be entrusted
with this secret knowledge, and so it was
passed down from age to age; and vari-
Gus persons assert that today there are
those who have this wiSdOm-men who
have spent long lives of self-sacritice and
of meditation on spiritual things, and
who have thoroughly purified their ma
lures They are, i'll fact perfected men-
the flower of humanity, and are known
as adopts, masters, mahatmaS great
souls and other names in Eastern litera-
ture They generally live apart from hu-
manity though they are none the less in
close touch with it and working for its
greatest good. With their command of
spiritual forces they are able to accom-
pliph great results without being direct
ly IN contract with the hurry and hustle
of the money-getting material civiliza-
tion of today
lt is from Such men that the ideas or
life and death crudely outlined in the
preceding papers of this series, have been
derived They are said to reside in all
parts of the world, but more especially
in India and Thibet; and there is a large
amount of testimony, from people both in
and out of the Society, to show that such
men exist and may occasionally be seen
in those places.
Their position now is one toward which
the whole DIlm1n SLOWLY tending,
They have simply by their own efforts
the rest of humanity in their
evolutionary progress, and it is in the
power of everyone, so it is said, to do like
wise, if he viii consent to give up all sell
fish desires, all wish for material wealth
or worldly fame, and work exclusively
for humanity, putting that first and self
always last.
CHAS H OLIN, F. T. 5.