< The Views of the Theosophists (continued from page 4-102) >
their dread of metempsychosis rests upon the esoteric idea that the particles of the brutalised soul, when dispersed, will be used over a myriad times by the deft workwoman Nature, in future evolutions of animal forms.
I shall know by the comments that will be made upon this article how successfully I have explained the main features of the theosophical doctrine. It would not be fair to expect that with such brevity I could fully elucidate them, or even touch upon the many minor topics that it embraces.
I hope that at least I have shown that we believe: —
1. That personal immortality is potential, not inevitable.
2. Those mediumistic physical phenomena are not produced by pure spirits, but by “souls” embodied or disembodied, and usually with the help of elementals.
3. That “elementaries” are impure, disembodied, perishable human souls, and “elementals” the forces of nature.
4. That mediumship means passivity; and adept ship, or the magical power, its opposite—activity; the former condition one of peril, and to be shunned except under the very best conditions, the latter the reverse.
5. That a pure life and total abstinence from, drink are indispensable to the exercise of the magical power and the acquisition of spiritual truth. I should add that a diet of vegetables is also exacted in Eastern countries of aspirants for initiation.
6. That we Theosophists of the inner ring adhere to the Oriental religious philosophies as better guides to happiness than Christian theology, better teachers of science than the Aristotelian methods of our modern physicists.
For the information of the large number of inquirers in Europe and elsewhere, from whom I am constantly receiving inquiries about our society and application to be received into its fellowship, I beg to say that that body is a strictly secret one, and there are no vacancies at present. We were compelled to shut ourselves in so as to pursue our studies unmolested, and experience is constantly confirming the wisdom of our policy. A branch is being established in England, which may or may not make its post-office address known.
New York, November 17th, 1877.
The Obsequies in Rome
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Editor's notes