The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-27

James NJ Pryse one OF the most prori-
nent and active members OF the Theosopn-
teal Society in America. concluded his
brief visit 20 Seattle last nigat. and left
for Victoria this morning. Mr.. Pryse.
while being q man OF the world and alive
70 all popular questions concerning the
people. IS a natural mystic and book
worm. There are few men since the death
OF William q. Judge. the late leader OF
tneoscphy IN America. who are better
posted IN occuiiism. both practical and
theoretical. than Mr.. Pryss. AS literary
man he has made extensive TRANSACTIONS
from the Greek OF nearly all OF the
synoptic gospels. and he Is a deep student
OF the Christian Bible as We'll as the
writer OF poetry OF no mean order. He.
in connection with his brother, founded
the Aryan press OF New York and the
Fl p. B. press OF London. and from these
two offices nearly ali the theosophicsl
books were printed, many being from his
own pen.
A man OF slight build, with a decidedly
Spanish look and appearance. he has trav
eled over a considerable portion OF the
globe. and claims 10 have visited portions
OF the earth upon which the feet OF no
other white man has ever trod. For a
number OF years he Travelled in Mexico
and South America, and is well known 10
the Indian tribes OF the South. about
whose customs and religion ne knows
much. In many ways Mr.. Pryse impresses
one as strange and peculiar. but one Is
struck with the power OF his words and
his intense earnestness.
Perhaps one OF the best lectures deliv-
cred here oy Mr. Pryse was his Occult
ism. True and False" He said:
While religious beliefs rest upon faith
and authority, there existed in ancient
times a system of instruction and train
Ing by which men could develop inner
faculties. enabling them 10 apprehend
Psychic and spiritual truths with the
same accuracy or observation and certain
~ Or knowledge with which modern sci
entists investigate the phenomena OF the
material world. This science OF things
spiritual was IN the keeping OF hierophants
or the ancient mysteries and was impart-
ed only to initiates pledged 70 secrecy;
but these initiates maintained schools In
every civilized land in antiquity. so that
tho mysteries were, as one Greek writer
says, the common temple Of the earth
They existed in Chaldea. Egypt. Greece.
India. Mexico and Peru and in lesser
countries. But as these nations grew old
and persisted, the schools were abandon
Cd. 50 that the religions OF the world.
deprived OF this scientific basis. desen-
Grated into systems CT mere sentiment
and blind belief. priests and theolog.ans
usurping the places of the. initiates. and
what survived of the ancient teachings
became crystallized into crseds and dog
mas.
yet the mysteries were never really
lost. They were preserved in secret
schools which are SIN in existence: and
now that new civilization IS forming.
after the chaos and night OF the middle
ages. the ancient science OF the soul viii
gradually be recovered, while much that
had 10 be kept secret In old times VIII be
taught openly in this newer and brighter
age. Men are deeply discontented Win Win,
satisfied with mere physical sciences.
Thousands are turning TO the study OF
the sacred literature of the past, the sur
the ancient schools. as well as the works
% modern teachers OF occultism. This
Is mainly due 10 the efforts OF the Theo-
sophical Society and its founders. But.
arisen as 10 the nature Of occultism both
within and without the society. while de-
signing men have taken advantage In the
growing interest in such subjects 10 turn
a dishonest penny by forming organiza-
tions In which they profess 70 impsrt the
secrets OF occultlsm 70 those who are
their dupes ever learn Is. the ease with
which a foot and his money are parted. The
occult sciences are never taught for god.
Occuitism, though not what is commonly
termed religion, IS in the highest sense
religious. 1t rests upon the alton of
the human soul 10 God in nature. II
teaches the origin, nature and destiny Of
man. the laws of life. the rules OF right
conduct. The first step 10 be taken by
him who would become an occultlst is
to rencunce all selfishness and personal
hy. He must seek to realize the spirit
ual unity OF all beings. TO practice the
most unselfish brotherhood and become
IN thought and deed the friend OF ali liv-
ing creatures. Thus universal brother
hood IS the KEY note of true occuitiSrn.
that Divine compassion which is the Spirit
OF Cod ma infested in the hearts of men.
zone Of the strange misconceptions into
which many have fallen is, there Is some
thing essentially Oriental in this system.
that theo=ophy originated in India. and
that the initiates or 'mahatmas' are pc
cnliarly associated with that country.
Nothing could be more fantastic than
such a notion The initiates belong TO
every country, and their great lodge has
never been IN India at any time. The
modern Hindus are. sad 20 say. about
the most priest-ridden, superstithous and
degraded people on the face or the earth.
The terrible famines and plaques In India
come from the Ignorance and Mthy ways
OF living OF the unfortunate people there.
As C1es nltness Is next To godltness. SO oC-
cQttlsnn requires sound mind in = sound
body. There IS more real spirituality and
true rycct1itisn IN the West today than
cultisr1-nlere sorcery born OF ignorance.
sefflshness and <uperstitfon-nay be found
fourfshtng in some Oriental lands The
hone Of the weird lies in the vigorous and
progressive West. not in the WORKOUT
countries Of Asia II IS not in India.
CHINA or Turkey that the soul Of human
tty can find the right conditions for its
forth sh ming In America there Is more
o. brotherhood. greater freedom. wider
oDUo-tuuftfes purer lives and higher
race. a n0bler religion, than the peoples
and faiths OF the u.ast-
SUNDAYS hand Concert.