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HPB-SB-7-19: Difference between revisions
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Of course, it is fair enough for critics to raise questions concerning matters of fact upon which they themselves are well informed, which is a different matter to going out into the middle of the road and “swearing at large.” But any one who does so should be careful not to expose themselves. Mrs. Showers’ letter is not unimpeachable on the score of accuracy. To take but two instances; she remarks that—“The statue of Memnon ''may ''still utter its wail at sunrise.” “''Might ''your name be Mr. Smith?” asked an inquirer of an American. “Well,” he replied, “it ''might, ''but it isn’t by a long chalk.” So it may be said of the statue erected by Amenhept III. (the Greek Memnon)—it ''may ''utter its wail at sunrise, but it ''does not, ''and is not likely to avail itself of Mrs. Showers’ permission. It was overthrown and shattered by an earthquake, {{Style S-Small capitals|B.C.}} 27, and although restored by Severus, the Roman Emperor, about 27 {{Style S-Small capitals|A.D}}., it never more responded to the rays of sunrise, either with, or anything very like, a wail. | Of course, it is fair enough for critics to raise questions concerning matters of fact upon which they themselves are well informed, which is a different matter to going out into the middle of the road and “swearing at large.” But any one who does so should be careful not to expose themselves. Mrs. Showers’ letter is not unimpeachable on the score of accuracy. To take but two instances; she remarks that—“The statue of Memnon ''may ''still utter its wail at sunrise.” “''Might ''your name be Mr. Smith?” asked an inquirer of an American. “Well,” he replied, “it ''might, ''but it isn’t by a long chalk.” So it may be said of the statue erected by Amenhept III. (the Greek Memnon)—it ''may ''utter its wail at sunrise, but it ''does not, ''and is not likely to avail itself of Mrs. Showers’ permission. It was overthrown and shattered by an earthquake, {{Style S-Small capitals|B.C.}} 27, and although restored by Severus, the Roman Emperor, about 27 {{Style S-Small capitals|A.D}}., it never more responded to the rays of sunrise, either with, or anything very like, a wail. | ||
The second statement is implied in her allusion to the “foul Osiris worship of Egypt.” As a student of Egyptology, I challenge proof of that. The worship of Osiris was as pure as any in this world has ever been. Egyptian art is spiritually pure. Egyptian literature is pure. The monuments, the ritual, the volumes of the ''Records of the Past | The second statement is implied in her allusion to the “foul Osiris worship of Egypt.” As a student of Egyptology, I challenge proof of that. The worship of Osiris was as pure as any in this world has ever been. Egyptian art is spiritually pure. Egyptian literature is pure. The monuments, the ritual, the volumes of the ''Records of the Past<ref>Pagster and Song.</ref> ''are my witnesses. What are Mrs. Showers’? A certain emblem borne in the procession of the spring festival! Just so. And that meant precisely the same thing as our May-pole, and the church spire with the weathercock atop. It was the natural hieroglyph of the resurrection. It is the moderns who read their own foul imaginings into the symbolism of the past. Nature is not ashamed of her emblems. But I should judge that Mrs. Showers is entirely ignorant of the origin and significance of symbolism. | ||
Whilst recording my individual protest against this treatment of Madame Blavatsky, allow me, as one who took exception to one of the points of doctrine held by the Theosophists on the grounds of its origin, to say that I do not think they are receiving fair treatment from our side. We are forgetting that they are also Spiritualists. I remember how frank and manly was Colonel Olcott’s avowal, made to me at a dinner of the Lotus Club in New York, in the presence of Mr. Brad laugh:—“Aye!”—this followed some other remark—“''and I m a Spiritualist of seventeen years’ standing.” ''This was not amongst people who were Spiritualists. | Whilst recording my individual protest against this treatment of Madame Blavatsky, allow me, as one who took exception to one of the points of doctrine held by the Theosophists on the grounds of its origin, to say that I do not think they are receiving fair treatment from our side. We are forgetting that they are also Spiritualists. I remember how frank and manly was Colonel Olcott’s avowal, made to me at a dinner of the Lotus Club in New York, in the presence of Mr. Brad laugh:—“Aye!”—this followed some other remark—“''and I m a Spiritualist of seventeen years’ standing.” ''This was not amongst people who were Spiritualists. | ||
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{{Style P-Signature in capitals|Gerald Massey}} | {{Style P-Signature in capitals|Gerald Massey}} | ||
{{HPB-SB-item | {{HPB-SB-item | ||