The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-06

There Is but one objection to EdiG
aud Its Faiths: O Travellers Record.
by JAMES BissErr PRATT ,Houghton
MifIlinI. 1t is II book of ass pages IT
exceedingly small type. printed on the
heavies; Of paper. England has
learned the value OF light paper Tor
large books. but in this land. where
fewer books are bought and read. the
publisher is not so C~onsiderate OF the
reader.
James Bissett Pratt is professor
OF philosophy az Williams College.
Will!amstown. Mass. II il the au-
thor OF a volume on The Fsy chology
Of Religious Belief" and an investiga-
ton OF the work OF William James,
DR.. John Dewe! and r. e. :. schiller,
entitled What IL aEma,ism.'
With n leaning toward mctaphN steal
DEDUCTIONS. the author has n trained
and c~r.,lca. mind and IN MS accounts
~ the Indian faiths as they exist 20
day, ne shows much judicial calm. q
power % weighing good with bad
which we rarely fnd in a traveller
and observer. His method mAy be
very fayorably compared with that OF
Fielding Hail and Sister Nivedita on
tn. one hand. who So. only the glow
ing poetic side OF such religions, and
with that type of criticism which may
he fairly represented by the Able
Dubols's Hindu Manners. Customs
and Ceremonies which is convinced
that immortality Is the chef const.tu-
ent of Hinduism. that all Brahmins are
fools or knaves and that Indian
thought is nonsense. Nor can we be
too grateful for the pages which Mr.
Pratt devotes 10 ANNE Besant and Mr.
Leadbeater.
In writing Of the teachings Of the
Theosophical Society Mr.. Pratt says:
| "Theosophy and the Theosoph!cai So
c!ety are not interchangeable terms
. '~Theosophy Is the body oi
| truths which forms the ba isis OF al
religions This firs, sentence in the
soclety's official exposition OF theoso'
ply gives its fundamental point OF
view. The implications OF this sen
tence are important, There are Ger
tain fundamental truths on which al
religions are agreed, and these. wher
put systematically together, will form
: WV iSiik iouo piiiioSopNN VI iluiIittINN
which is theosophy, Says Mrs. Besan'
in the introduction to her Universe
Textbooks OF Religion and Morals
There are fundamental doctrines
symbols. rites. prccepts. which are
common to all, while the lesser va
RANTS are innumerable. 1t thus be
comes possible to separate the essen
tia, from the essential. the perina
ncnt from the transitory, the universe
from the local, and to And quod sem,
per. quod Unique. Quod alb omnibus
When this is done we have remaining
a fundamental religious and mora
teaching which may fearlessly III
given to the young, as the expression
Of facts concerning God, man and tn
universe borne witness to by the cleo
OF humanity, as being capable OF veri
fcation by all who reach n certa!'
spiritual stage OF evolution This i
a very admirable programme. an
every liberia minded religious man WI
wish the Thcosophical Society god
speed in carrying 1t outfit such
thing he possible. The t%heosophis.
think 1t not only possible but alread!
accomplished; n accordingly Mrs
Besant presents us with a list Of prop
ositions as the credal points ~ the
osophy which all religions teach. Tn
two most fundamental Of these are tn,
immanence Of Goo in man and tn
brotherhood Of ell men. Its seconds,
teachings are those which are IN,
common teachings NJ all religions. liv
Ing or dead: the unity Of God; IN,
triplic.ty Of His nature in manifesto
ton; the descent Of spirit in matter
and hence the graded ranks OF intellI
Rences, whereof humanity IL n 10 tn
growth OF humanity by the unfoldmen
q: consciousness m the evolution u
bodies. that IN, reincarnatiOn; tn
progress II this growth under inv.o
liable law, that IN. Karma; the environ
ment Of this growth, that Is, the thrc
worlds. the physical, emotional an
mental. or earth, the intermedlat
world and heaven; the existence o
divine teachers, superhuman mer
often called the White BrotherhDod
ss II may he IA revelation to tn
reader that primitive animism teache
the n spiritual ana immanent Go,
and the brotherhood OF men, tina
Islam teaches the Trinity that Bud
dhis,n teaches the Supreme God An,
the eternal identity of. the soul witl
Him; and that Christianity teache
transmigration and Karma. The trutl