, 1904-04-28
PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES.
Who Are Our Brothers.

every one Oh us mas 10 the who.e great
humanity. The knowledge one gains
from a study Of Theosophy compels
him to adopt 4 very different attitude
towards his fellow man from that he
previously held. He learns that,
through the divinity in each alike, all
are truly but one. On the higher
plane where space and time and form
as we know them here, do not exist.
there is an absolute spiritual brother
hood or, even more than a brother
hood, there is a unity. Since this is
20 that all are one on those higher
planes, it follows that all are brothers
down here on this physical plane,
however little it may seem so where
race wars against race; where creed
hates creed; where classes and castles
are ever struggling, the one against
the other; where competition is ram
pant; where dishonesty so often
takes the place of fair dealing"
When once a man realizes this spirit
ual unity above which shows that we
all come from the same great source
of being, he knows that in real truth,
the interest of one can not in reality
be opposed to the interest of all. In
reality no real gain can be made by
one man that Is not a gain II all hui
manity. The progress of n must
lift for a little the burden of all the
others. One mans advance in spirit
ual things IN ans that by a little the
advance of all humanity is aided.
Every one who bears sorrow and
suffering nobly in his struggle to-
wards the light is lifting IA little of
the heavy burden of the sorrow and
suffering of his brothers as WELL"
When a nan believes in this broth
erhood, not as the hope only nor as a
pious opinion, but as a definite fact,
it changes his attitude to all around
him. His attitude becou es one of
true h~elpfulness and the deepest sym
patty with the realization that what
ever seems to go against him or
clashes with his highest interest, must
in reality be the right thing for him
to do, and must always be good and
best for him. With this higher aud
wider view, the problems of life look
far less complicated and are far more
hopeful than they could possibly APP
pear to the ordinary man.
In his relation to others he has
learned by the study of thought con
troll, that every thought to which he
gives birth affects others as well as
himself. The vibrations sem from
his mental body reproduce themselves
in the mental bodies of others all
about him. Every man is a source
either of mental health or of mental
ill to all with whom he comes in con
tact. Many a man thinks because he
does not give vent TO his evil thought
in words, and restraints himself so
that his inner feeling never comes out
in action, that he has done his duty
towards the world about him. But
his thought of itself is a plague-spot
and he goes through the world as a
ource of moral contagion. The man
who, suffering from some infectious
disease, goes forth among his fellow
men scattering seeds of pestilence ON
all sides, is an angel of light compar-
ed with one who makes the mental
atmosphere around him lurid with
the impurity of his thought. The
law of man will take hold of the one
but the law of God will no less surely
cause the evil thought of the other to
be its W punishment. Moral poi
son and moral infection are far more
difficult to eradicate than physical
disease could possibly be.
We are our brothers keepers. Even
our thoughts leave our impress upon
them. Our joys are the joys of hui
mainly, our successes are the sue.
cesses of all, our failures are far
reaching in their effects. When a
man knows that others succeed or fall
short, are strong or weak, happy or
unhappy in him, it is not long till he
tries to adjust his life to the new view
point. The word duty loses its some
times unpleasant aspect and becomes
loving service and devotion to his
brothers, who are one with him in the
bosom of the Father.
Is it not a glorious outlook7 Are
not the mists cleared from the noun
tain tops of holy livingi Does not
the Sun Of righteousness shine with
added splendor' The morning stars
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