22...
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
If the age has its great criminals it has also its martyrs, saints, and heroes, those differentiations of the diviner man from the revolting average of animalism.
23
“ ‘Theosophist’ on Nov. 9 won the Great Lancashire Handicap, over one mile, in 1 min. 47 2-5th sec. according to Benson’s chronograph, and credited his owner with £450.”
And now the breeze of popularity has wafted Theosophy upon the race track, good luck follows the name as it appears.
It is with the very greatest pleasure that we print the following from the Washington People’s Advocate:
To a truly religio-scientific society like the “Blavatsky Theosophical Society,” now incorporated in Washington, and whose first object is the formation of a nucleus of a real Brotherhood of Humanity, regardless of sect, sex or colour, and which with rare consistency to its professions has abolished the colour line, which everywhere refuses admission to the intelligent coloured man to societies of white men of a scientific, philosophical, or fraternal nature, we freely give three-quarters of a column or more of space (circumstantially) every week, asked for in order to defend and expound its doctrines.
Because not sufficiently informed on the subject, the editor cannot either affirm or deny these doctrines. We assume no responsibility further than to justly grant the freedom of our paper to a society which grants to the coloured man equality of membership. Besides, as a purveyor, and not a dictator of information to the public, The People’s Advocate, to be consistent with its title, must concede to its readers the right of selection, and the opportunity to investigate all kinds of knowledge, freed alike from sectarian as well as race prejudices.
The above Branch owes its birth to our energetic brother Prof. Anthony Higgins, and though of recent date bids fair, according to The Path of October, to become “one of our most powerful Lodges.” But whether the branch is young or old, it is splendidly done; not but that all our Lodges 24would give a hearty welcome to a “coloured” brother. But herein lies the merit, that this branch has succeeded in establishing relations with their coloured brethren. This is the most important part of their undertaking, for once a point of contact is established, the current will flow freely. Truly “without distinction of race” has it been done, and such indeed is the work of true Theosophists. Nor is it in this case a small matter, for the race distinction between the negro and the white in America, is perhaps more accentuated than between geographically separated nations of different colours. May the time speedily arrive when in like manner we shall see “coloured” members in all our branches, and thus, “the colour line being abolished,” our dark-hued brethren may mount the first step of the ladder of “admission to societies of white men of a scientific, philosophical, or fraternal nature.”