The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1903-06-04

philosophers, among them Anaxagoras,
carried their speculations to the con-
clusion that supreme intelligence
made and maintained the universe.
"The Athenians of the old school
could not but condemn these free
thinking scholars; for these investiga-
tors set aside the most treasured tradi-
tions and myths in their search for
truth.
"Closely connected with the philosc-
piers were the so-called sophists, (pro-
fessional wise men) who took the new
philosophical discoveries and theories
and applied them practically to life.
| As emissaries of the new thought,
their teachings undermined the ancient
faith in the gods and substituted the
truth of a supreme intellectual di-
vinity."
These extracts from Prof. joys An
cient Greek History, and particularly
the reference to the far East, furnished
me with text for my paper on
THE SOCIETY OF ANCIENT WISDOM.
| Who in later days can even approach
the sublimity of the religious thought,
the intellectual splendor Of the philoso-
ply and the breadth and purity of the
ethics taught by various sacred books
of the far East? Comparative seekers
| find these books contain teachings
about God, man and the universe that
are identical in substance, whatever
the outward appearance. What more
natural and less unreasonable than to
refer them to central source-to a
central primary body of doctrine. The
body of doctrine exists in the Society
of Ancient Wisdom. Tho it is only in
the last twenty years that the objects
of this society have been made known
to all mankind, it traces its origin as
far back as the twentieth century be-
fore the Christian era, fourteen centu-
ries before Buddha and a thousand
years before the advent of BOdhisatwa.
Claiming thus to be the origin and
basis of all religions, it cannot be the
antagonist of any. at seeks to be
their purifier" revealing the valuable
inner meaning of much that has
become mischievous in the external
presentation by the perverseness of ig-
norance and the accretions of super
stitions; but it recognizes and defends
itself in each and seeks to unveil it's
hidden wisdom.
The first object of the society is to
form nucleus of the universal
brotherhood of humanity without dis
tinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or
| color.
The second object is to encourage
study of comparative religion, philoso-
ply and science of all ages. This tends
to eliminate the prejudices which in
evitably spring from the environment,
and to break down the dividing barriers
between races and creeds, and so works
towards brotherhood.
The third object is to investigate un-
explained laws of nature and the pow
ers latent in man. One can readily see
how this object if rightly prosecuted,
will demonstrate the underlying spirit
ual unity Of all beings, and may also
be said to promote the forming of
nucleous of the universal brotherhood
of humanity.
The first object is the only one which
man subscribes to upon entering the
society. The last two objects are not
| binding in any sense upon members.
The members of the society are con-
nected by an ethical rath than an in
tellectual bond, and their unity rests
on sublime ideal not on formulated
creed. In fact the society has no dog
mas and insists on no beliefs; it seeks
to draw no man away from his own re-
ligion, but rather impels him to seek in
the depths of it for the spiritual nour-
ishment he needs.
The first historical mention of this
society we find when three Of its
members followed the star Of Bethle-
hem, twice seventy and seven days, to
pay tribute to the .Prince of Peace"
hailing him as the King of Kings"
One of their ablest savants, says:
aNot for one instant would we try to
lessen the reverence and the love Of
any simple soul for the Great Soul who
watches over Christendom; our task
will rather be to point to soil in which