The times., 1898-12-12
DR.. Cory's Address at Macca-
bee Temple.
THE FIRE PHILOSOPHERS
Insight Into Divine Nature-Nucleus
for Universal brotherhood - So
called Spiritual Teachers - The
Enrly Christian Followers - The
Test OF Reason-IngersoIl Says It's
Pleasant DeIusiOn.

OF mucn length re sdiu III part
'.Theosophy, as its derivatives imply, il
a term used to denote those forms of ell
gioaIs ard philosophical thought which
claim a special insight into the Divine
nature, the constitutive movements or pro-
cesses.
1T is characteristic of theosophy that
1t starts with an exphcation OF the Divine
essence and endeavors to deduce the rta-
nomenai universe from the pay of forces
within the Divine nature its IT, tits thus
differentiated at once from ali the philo-
sophical systems. which attempt To rise
from an analysis of phenomena to
knowledge more or less adequate of the
existence and nature OF God. Eckhart.
Jacob Boeheme, Paracelsus. and Cardan
can be designated as iheosophisls-
-Alcheniists of the Middle Ages. Resi-
cr,icians and mystic were often desig-
mated theosophists. Henry Cornelius
Agrippa von Netersheim. In tee fourteenth
and fifteenth century, was a member of a
secret association of theosophists, the
foundation Of which had been q desire 20
keep thought out OF fetters.
The FIRE philosophers or Rosicrucians
had much in common with speculative
masonry and was Itself both speculative
and operative or concealed theosophy TN
der alchemical ja-gon.
I'm Macoy's Cyciopedia, dictionary of
Masonry. Tnecsophists were defined as
Those who inquire into the science Of
divine things. Many eminent Freema-
sons belonged to this class during the
last century"
The specuiations of the theosophists,"
1t adds. were generally OF a mystical
character Several Masonic systems
We're theosophicai, as for example. the
rites Of Swedenborg. St Martin, Zinnen-
dorff etc. Theosophists representing
schools of philosophy existed in G,eace.
Rome and Egypt at various times.
The mysteries of AIithras in Persia. of
Osiris in Egypt of the Cabalists of Jul
dea and the Gnostics have taught the
neophytes of their respective schools,
from time to time. under the seal of
silence. the divine wisdom of theosophy;
but from the Orient. from India, the
cradle of philosophic thought. the store
house of occult learning comes the light
that dispeis the darkness or ecciesias.i-
cism and dogmatic bigotry that is re-
sponsible for the apathy and lifelessness
OF the churches of today.
1.-The modern theosophical movement
started in New York in 1875, and was at
first an attempt on the part of few
earnest students to penetrate more deep
ly than had yet been done into the mys-
teries of occultism and the depths Of
Eastern PHILOSOPHERS.
.The originator of this movement was
Helen Petroyna Blayatsky, of noble Rus
sian birth. Of an adventurous cast of
mind counting obstacles rather than
stunning them. When youthful and in
experienced she hesitated not TO travel
alone and unattended i. in remote coun-
tries, far from home and kindred. al
ways in the pursuit of knowledge. and
| gaining information from every quarter
| of the globe. She made many warm
| friends and bitter enemies, for her out
| spokenness was far more her distin-
| gushing characteristic than any gentle
ness of demeanor.
This society is absolutely unsectarian
| in its character. devoted to the research
of truth for the purpose of disseminating
! it impartialiy for the benefit of mankind,
to the end that the growing tendency
of materialism may be checked, that the
warming spirit of true religion. science
I and philosophy may be qulckened. The
| avowed purposes of the society are as
| follows. viz:
..First-To form a nucleus of universal
| brotherhood of humanity. without dis
| tinction of race, creed. sex, cast or color.
"Second-To promote the study of AIRY
an and other Eastern literatures, relig-
| IONS PHILOSOPHERS and sciences, and 10
demonstrate their Importance to hui
manity.
..Third-To investigate unexplained
| laws of nature and the psychical powers
latent in man.
"Its motto is: There is no religion
| higher than truth and the symbol
adopted by the society is the interl3eed
| triangle inclosed by serpent biting its
| tail, and inside the interlaeed triangle il
the crux ausata. the Egyptian tau cross
| or sign of life.
| 1T is not incumbent upon member
| of the society to give allegiance to any
but the first purpose named. and this is
| embraced in the greatest commandment
| given by the Chrlst-iThou shalt love ths
| Lord thy God with all thy soul, with al
| thy mind, and with all thy strength. The
| first of all commandments, and the see
| ond Is like, namely this. thou shalt lovs
thy neighbor as thyself; there is none
| other commandment greater tnan these
| mark xii. 3O-3D.
| How many so-called spiritual teacher.
| throughout this land have read these
1 words this day in a perfunctory sort o
/ a way to drowsy audiences, who throug h
| out their lives have struggled for peace
| contentment. happiness, and have foun,
| them not; who do not comprehend tn
magic concealed in these words that /
| acted upon by the Christian Church alon
l
house into a Paradise. Instead, how
ever, of giving ear to this divine self
abnegation, Monday morning will fini
them beginning the week with the sam
old business methods the result of whicl
| is to make the rich richer and the poo
poorer, which aggregates and congest
vast wealth into the hands of the few
while poverty, pain, suffering. misery, de
spair, and crime correspondingly increase
Thus society is cursed with two antago
nistic elements. In time the rich, indo
lent and lecherous become degenerate an
a strong, rude, uncouth people overthrow
the few who have absorbed the earth an
the fullness thereof-and they in turn wit
bit and spur and lash relentlessly ride
This. in brief, is the plot of the stor
worked out sooner or later with the ma
| tions and governments of the earth.
rs there no relief? No surcease? n
| hope for bettered condition? None what
ever except in the altruistic teachings G
the Nazarene and of Theosophy.
This grand unselfish idea of brother
hood is elaborated throughout the teach
ings of Christ, and the early Christia
| followers lived truly altruistic lives, shal
ing their earnings. living in common, pras
ticing~ the virtues and cultirating peace
| full harmony. till their increasing nun
bers and prosperity alarmed Constantin,
who devised the union of church an
state for no other purpose than to ovei
throw these early Christian societies. A
that is deplorable on earth followed. Th
1 age of darkness and blood. The faggf
and sword supporting irrational dogma:
| The upward march of mankind was al
| rested. Science and learning Wer