 |
vol. title: Vol Four of The Theosophical Society of The Arya Samaj of Arya-wart vol. period: Sept 1878 – Sept 1879 pages in vol.: 350 |
< Theosophy (continued from page 8-169) >
afford for the disentombment of those ancient writings, and the restoration of them to the world in their original purity, are, so far as we at present comprehend them, the ends and aims of the society. Within the limited scope of a first lecture, in which enquiries had to be responded to, and much extraneous matter had to be noticed, it would have been an impossibility clearly to have expounded every detail associated with the organisation of the society. For this reason it is scarcely surprising that some little disappointment should have been visible amongst those who in plain terms sought an answer to the question “what do you propose to accomplish, and how do you propose to accomplish it?” We fear that, but few if any, were enabled to realize any very definite solution of this query. For our own part we ventured upon the conclusion that; for many years past we must have been a theosophist without knowing it. This of course was grounded upon the assumption of our surmises being correct, and should they prove so, we shall find but little in theosophy that is absolutely new to us.
Most persons, whose reading has been posted up to within a reasonable date, will be familiar with the researches recently prosecuted in the vedic sacred writings, and the conclusion drawn from them and from other ancient oriental literature that, all religious systems known to the world were taken in their origin from one and the same source, however much they may now differ. The causes of this diversity may be as clearly traced as any stream may be traced to its source. This position is now placed beyond dispute, and it is difficult to withold assent from what is fast becoming a popular belief as to the origin of christian theology. Honest translations of these ancient writings into the languages of Europe, and made attainable to the means of all desiring them, might serve to cleanse the turbid waters of christian doctrine at no greater risk than that of betraying the hands that had defiled them. Such translations we understood from the lecture to be one of the ends aimed at by the society, and in this labour it hopes to secure the co-operation of many of the learned and scientific native scholars of this country.
If this fact—for we cannot refuse to accept as fact what has now been so clearly demonstrated—that the christian sacred writings have their origin in those of the ancient Hindoos, forms, as we assume it to do, one of the corner stones of theosophy, there is no novelty in this that need startle us. Forty years ago this was made apparent by McIntosh; other writers have since confirmed the assertion, and the nail has unmistakably been driven home by the more recent researches of Godfrey Higgins, and—we believe—of the Countess Blavatsky, though “Isis Unveiled” is at present known to us only through its critics. It has been the fate of every stream, the source of which was this vedic fountain, to become more or less corrupted as times changed, and Priests and Governments claimed the right to shape their courses. Patiently and dilligently to retrace these streams to their rise, and to endeavour to substitute purity for defilement, is surely a labour worthy of our grateful recognition. What right of control, we ask, can any government consistently claim to exercise over the theological speculations of its subjects? Yet, in all christian countries at least, church and state, or in other terms the church and the army, like the Zodiacal twins everywhere stare us in the face; and well they may, for are they not the right and the left hand of each government? The enslavement of mind as well as body were the respective functions assigned to them, and in the fulfilment of those functions, the world for two thousand years, has been deluged with blood and tears. Is this so desirable a state of things that we should be willingly perpetuate it? Rather let us regard it as the sacred duty of great intellects to aid in cleansing these foul streams from their impurities, and bringing home to the minds of their less favoured brethren the wholesome consciousness that they can do no greater homage to the great centre of intelligence, than by following truth wherever it may lead them, and studying to solve those wise laws that have been so beneficently framed for our happiness. In this labour they need no priest’s assistance; for, what can the priest teach, or what can he ever learn, more than is open to all men to know if they will take the trouble to seek for the knowledge?
It has been said that, “religion is superstition in fashion; and that if superstition is religion out of fashion.” How ancient faiths have been forced out of fashion, and for what purposes they have been so, we have seen. Of what may have been their worth when they existed, we do not presume to judge; but if christianity is to be upheld to the world as the only true theological system, it is as well the world should know where that system came from, and upon what ground its pretensions to infallibility are supported. It is not surprising that there are those amongst us who hesitate to accept the garbled versions furnished by those who are interested in falsifying and concealing what should be known; the more recent researches of those whose learning and probity place them above suspicion, are found to be so at variance with preconceived impressions, that, finally to clear up a question of such vast importance, can scarcely fail to be found productive of warmer sympathies and greater harmony in mankind. The world has been swamped with bloodshed, and nauseated with the feuds and animosities bred from the conflict of creeds. When it comes to be more widely known that, whatever may be our seeming discrepancies, we all worship at the same shrine; what then, will be left to fight about?