Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-06-19
PAPER READ BY her
ON WHITE LOTUS DAY
Does Not Antagonize Creeds But
Seeks to See Good Results in
All--Exposition Of Divin-
ity--lmmortality.
(Read on White Lotus Day, May stt.

(Read on White Lotus Day, May Sth,
1901
The questions are so often asked.
what is Theosophy?" what does
Theosophy teach?" that. on occasions
like this celebration-in which many
friends are present who are not Theo-
sophical students-it may be appropri-
ate to submit very brief enumeration
OF the principal points to which the at
tont!on Of enquirers may be called.
First--Theosophy is not new creed,
as 1t is sometimes supposed to be, nor
O new science, nor new philosophy.
1t is not religion or sect, because It
is Religion itself, the essence or basis
OF all existing creeds and religions; It
IL not a science, because It embraces
ell sciences, known or yet to be discov-
cred; 1t is not philosophy. because all
the philosophical systems ever pro-
nounced are only aspects, parts or frag-
ments of the complete system called
Theosophy. In word, 1t embraces and
illumines the whole Of human knowl-
edge. and has been justly termed both
scientific religion and religious science,
and 1t is as old as the world. Such be-
Ing the case, 1t is not surprising that
oen Of the principal results Of Theo-
sophical study, so far, has been to con-
vince earnest, impartial men. for the
first time In modern history, that there
is no especially privileged or God-re-
vealed Religion in the world. but that
all the religious beliefs OF Humanity
come from the one, identical Source;
consequently, all are valuable, all
worthy Of respect. In 60 far as they all
give out some aspect Of the One Basic
Truth, appropriate to the mental and
moral conditions OF some portion of the
human race in the various phases OF its
development. The study Of Theosophy
really brings out the good as well as
the bad. the deficiencies and shortcom-
ings as well as the qualities OF all
creeds, and therefore shows that toll
erance, charity and respect for the con-
victions of others ought to be the motto
OF all truly religious people. But The
osophy being the essence Of all creeds,
It goes still further than tolerance. by
teaching the common unity. the uni
versal spiritual Brotherhood Of all
men.
Second-Of the innumerable points
Of knowledge brought out or elucidated
by the study Of Theosophy. 1t is not
possible, here, to give more than a few
at random. as follows:
A. A more lucid exposition OF d.
vinity. In SO far as the human mind
can grasp 1t. for 1t postulates first Of
all q Supreme Cause.-The Absolute, the
One True God, Unknowable and I'm
thinkable to us Mortals, In our present
condition, SO that all religious discus
sions about 1T are useless;
B. The work Of creation carried out
by various Divine Agents or Hierar.
chies, some Of which constitute the
highest Gods Of primitive Religions,
the Angels and Archangels Of Christi
anity. or the Elohims of the Hebrew;
C. The whole Universe subdivided
into various planes or regions, but ev-
erywhere full Of life, II living Entities,
appropriately constituted for the con-
dltions in which they are living-even
II invisible to our senses-and every
where subject to unerring rules, which
are uniformly reproduced In the vari-
Gus kosmic subdivisions, and therefore
characterized by the occult axiom: LAS
Above, so Below;
d. The whole Universe and every
life within It, subject to the one grea.
law of Evolution and progress-gradu.
al and ncessant-leadlng to more glo-
rious stages than ever told by the bold
est of ordinary exoteric religions, and
equally ruling the Highest Suns and
the tiniest grains OF sand, the Arch.
angels and Man as well as the smallest
microbe; this law manifests in the