The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-09
MEMORY OF
BLAVAT SKY
White Lotus Day is
Observed in
Honolulu.
PRAISE FOR THE
GREAT EXPOUNDER
Addresses of DR.. Marques and
Mrs. X. B. Davis of Boston
on al. P B" Life.

In commemoration of the death of
the great expounder of theosophy, the
followers of H. P. Blavatsky i'm this
city met last evening in Foster Hall,
to praise her memory and perpetuate
her work. The hall was handsomely
decorated about the chairman's plat
form, which was concealed beneath
great masses of lilies and white flow
ers, relieved by dense screens of green
cry. Palm branches and ferns placed
in the corners and arranged behind the
platform set forth in bold relief a large
photograph of Madame Blavatsky. The
lilies were the nearest approach to the
white lotus to be found in the islands.
The meeting was given under the
auspices of Aloha branch, Theosophi-
cal Society, in commemoratfon Of
White Lotus Day and in loving ireTn-
DRY of H. B. P. the symbolic initials
of the teacher of the cult, known the
world over.
The meeting was graced by the pres
ence of Mrs. Kate B. Davis of Boston,
who made an address last evening on
Madame Blavatsky and her work.
which thrilled her auditors. Possessed
of commanding personality and pleas
ing address, clear enunciation and a
clear-cut knowledge of theosophy she
carried the attention of those present
while she narrated the noble devotion
to great principle of her teacher and
friend. Mrs. Davis is a woman whose
mental qualities are far above the usual
and she speaks with an authority
which marks her at once as one of the
leaders in the theosophical movement.
The exercises were presided over by
Mrs. Hendricks, who sat upon the
platform directly beneath the picture of
H. P. Blavatsky. They were pleasingly
varied with addresses and music. The
latter was a feature of the evening,
and added not a little to the interest.
DR.. A. Marques opened the meeting,
and made the following address:
Today all over the world, wherever
branches of the Theosophical Society ex-
list, special meetings have been held to
commemorate the tenth anniversary Of
the death of the great teacher known to
all Theosophists under the symbolic ini-
tials of H. P. B. So the little band Of
students mere, who have requested the
pleasure of your presence tonight, are
merely following the precedent which has
become pleasant annual duty-the pi-
Gus duty of sending out thoughts of re-
membrance and gratitude. saS
In all systems of religion or philosophy,
neutrality-suspicious. for favors received
is held as a high virtue; but, through
Theosophy, we learn that the highest
gratitude is that due to our teachers.
The Oriental nations give touching ex-
amples of this sentiment, and Hindoos
are known to devote their whole time.
their very life, to their spiritual "Ju-
rus" whom they serve. in the most hum
BILE manner.
Therefore, if by the study of Theoso-
ply we do learn more of the duties of
life-if we gain new and larger insight
into many of those problems which or
binary religions may mention, without
any satisfactory explanation-it must be
expected that we also more fully under
stand the nature and necessity of graft
tude to the teacher. through whom we
are enabled to obtain correct occult
knowledge, whereby to hasten our evo-
luton and progress. No, the only way
we can manifest our gratitude to this de-
parted teacher, outside of keeping her
memory ever green, is by following her
example and the way she pointed out,
by carrying out the work she devoted
her life to: that is to say, working, each
of us within our humble sphere, for hui
mainly, and learning, in order to help
others. Thus our lotus celebration is
not simply mere honoring of the de-
parted, such as we find in the Christian
anniversaries, but 1t is yearly renewal
of our promise to continue our teachers
work. Moreover, in this celebration we
find other higher ideals than the mere
remembrance of H. p. BIS lasting person.
atty or the mere commemoration of her
life work and departure, although for
Theosophists the idea of death Is in it
self very different from the common
views, since we regard death as liber-
ator, as the entrance into higher con-
d1tion of life and as a periodical phenom-
enon in our evolution; not as the end of
all existence or of all physical life. Some
OF these higher ideals of Philosophical
White Lotus commemoration are the fol-
lowing: an idea of homage and thanks
giving to the living great masters, whose
devoted instrument H. P. B. was To
them ii. P. B. owed her knowledge; from
them she received the order to dissent
nate it in order to make it available to
all the souls thirsty for truth, and they
still remain the protectors of the Theo-
sophical Society, the inspirers Of all
the teachings given out since H. P. BIS
death. So, honoring the memory of their
instrument is really including them in
our manifestation of gratitude.
Another idea is that of the good that
can be done through the proper use of
thought. The power of thought was
nearly unrealized before Theosophy
pointed to it; now science readily admits
that man has in his mind a dynamo Of
tremendous possibilities, both creative
and destructive. Theosophy adds that
the Individual power of thought Is great
ly increased when many people emit the
same thought at the same time. The
thoughts sent out simultaneously
around the world in our Lotus celebra-
ton must produce results extremely
powerful, even though we cannot realize
them. They must reach H. P. B. in her
new life, bringing her help for her own
evolution and comfort by showing that
her last work has not been In vain. while
the same thought must also react on our
selves and on the society we belong to,
strengthening our own power for work
and binding US more closely to the good
cause.
Another idea Is more mysterious, II,
this: that 1t refers to possibilities yet lit
tie known. and essentially to that of II.