The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-11-21
IS
TO LEAVE


Primes lecture last evening in COM
memoration of the anniversary Of the
founding of the Theosophical Society,
the local branch gave up its rooms in
Arion Hall and will henceforth be
domiciled in rooms 1 and 2, Progress
Block. A farewell reception will be
rendered to Mr.. Prime early in Deem
Der, as he departs in the Sierra for the
mainland after several months of
lecturing and teaching in Honolulu.
1t was on November II. 1875. that
Colonel Olcott, co-founder of the So
ciety with Madame Blayatsky, gave his
first presidential address, after the
formation of the society on October 80
of that year, and the custom has been
with nearly all branches to celebrate
that event by having exercises annual
ly on that date. Owing to conditions,
the local branch was unable to hold
the celebration until last evening.
Mr.. Prime told of the first meeting
of Colonel Olcott and Madame Bla-
yatsky, and the incidents leading up
to the formation of the present great
organization. In 1874 Colonel Olcott
was studying spiritualism and had
been writing articles for newspaper,
which attracted the attention of H. P.
B. as Madame Blavatsky is generally
known among her followers She final
| ly went to Chittenden, where he was
that time their friendship grew strong
er until they formed an intellectual
alliance for the study of occult science.
The formation OF the Theosophical So
ciety came about in an informal man.
ner. A Mr.. Felt was giving a leet-
ure in the parlor of III. P. b." speak
ing upon Egypt and its ancient mys-
teries. The subject struck Colonel
Olcott forcibly, and he sent a note
across table to Madame Blavatsky
asking if it would not be a good thing
to form society for the study of oc-
cultism. She acquiesced, and in that
room where seventeen people were
gathered the society was organized,
with Colonel Olcott elected as chair
man. The meetings were of a mediocre
kind, evidently, for all but Madame
Blayatsky and Colonel Olcott drifted
away. In 1878 they sailed for India,
and it is since that year that the soci-
ETY. has seen its growth.
During this time Madame Blavatsky
was engaged in writing Isis Unveil-
ed her first great work People were
astounded at the possibilities of learn
ing suddenly made apparent to them,
and the society began to receive con-
verts. Then came her stupendous
work, "The Secret Doctrine" which
Mr. Prime characterized as almost be-
: yond human reasoning, and gives one
an impression that supernatural agen-
cies were at work while she wrote
While she was great teacher, Colonel
| Olcott was an investigator and organ
/ izer. Instead of seeking the points oil
disagreement, he studied those OF
agreement, and the result is that he
has often been able to consolidate and
merge opposing factions. He is now
/ engaged in a work among the Pariahs
, of India, establishing schools and doing
much practical Universal Brotherhood
work. In Ceylon alone $4,000 children
were in schools prepared by and under
the supervision of the Brotherhood
His work in India has also been the
cause of a revival of Hindooism OF
the highest type.
Mr.. Prime then gave the objects Of
the Philosophical Society, as follows
. To form a nucleus of Universal Broth
erhood of Humanity, without distinc,
ton of race, creed, sex, caste, or color
: to encourage the study of comparativ,
i religion, philosophy and science; to in.
: vestigate the unexplained laws of ma
ture and the powers latent in man.
The Philosophical Society is compos
ed Of students belonging to any relig'
ion in the world or none, who ara
united by their approval of the above
: objects, by their wish to remove relig
;, iCus antagonisms, and to draw together
men of goodwill, whatsoever their re
!, ligious opinions, and by their desire tt
, study religious truths and to share the
results of their studies with others
Their bond Of union is not the profes
. sion of common belief, but common
search and aspiration for truth They
hold that truth should be sought By
study, by reflection, by purity of life
by devotion to high ideals, and the,
regard truth as prize to be striver
for, not as dogma to be imposed b!
authority. They consider that belle
should be the result of individual stud.
or intuition, and not its antecedent
should rest on knowledge, not on as
sertiOn. They extend tolerance to all
even to the intolerant, not as a priv
ilege they bestow but as duty the,
perform, and they seek to remove ig
norance, not to punish it. They Sc,
. every religion as an expression of tn,
Divine Wisdom. and prefer its stud,
). to its condemnation, and its practice tt
its proselytism. Peace is their watch
word and truth is their aim
Theosophy is the body of TRUTH
: which forms the basis of all religions
and which cannot be claimed as tn,
exclusive property of any. It offers
philosophy which renders life intelli
l. gible, and which demonstrates the jus
D tice and the love which guides its evo
luton. It puts death in its rightfu
place, as a recurring incident in al
endless life, opening the gateway of ;
= fuller and more radiant existence.
irestores to the world the science of tn,
oI,.;4 ,l,; ~