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(January 1892)
Publications:
- The Path, vol. VI, no. 10, January 1892, pp. 307-310
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CTD entry in Russian: Уилкокс, Элла Уилер - Беседа о теософии
DATA
Title for references: Wilcox EW - A Talk About Theosophy
Short description: A sympathetic outsider's view of Theosophy as "the religion of the future", warning that fad-lovers ...
307 Theosophy is undoubtedly the religion of the future. Human intellects are growing away from creed-cumbered Christianity as it is taught in most of the churches.
Fifty years ago, only an occasional daring soul was brave enough to question the truth of the Trinity, or doubt the efficacy of a vicarious atonement. 308To-day hundreds of strong, upreaching minds express their dissatisfaction with such a creed, and demand something more in keeping with the progress of human intelligence. Every thinking mind must realize that the ultimate spiritual development of man can only be retarded by a belief that a death-bed confession of Christ, as the Son of God, can atone for a life of sin and selfishness.
It would be a poor method of making a young man industrious to tell him that whatever debts he might incur, or whatever extravagances he indulged in, a devoted relative would assume his liabilities. The sooner the young man learns that he must toil and suffer to pay for his excesses, the sooner he will reform his ways.
The Chinese merchant is not allowed to continue in business unless every debt he owes is paid at the New Year; as a consequence the Chinese merchant is the most honorable in the world, and bankruptcy is seldom heard of there. It is exactly the same with spiritual bankruptcy. Fully impress upon a child's mind that he must pay here and hereafter for every selfish and sinful act, and he will attain a higher degree of morality than one who believes that his deeds can be washed away in Christ's blood, or paid for by generous gifts to the Church, and that he can by sudden repentance finally be taken among Heaven's honored hosts.
Theosophy teaches the necessity of an unselfish life, in thought as well as in deed. It tells us that we are responsible for each word, act, and thought, and that by these words, acts, and thoughts we are daily building ourselves perishable or permanent mansions. We can not put bad and poor material into our soul-house to-day, and to-morrow say "Lord, I repent," and have the slothful deed remedied. The bad bricks must remain, but they may serve as warnings to us in the future. It teaches us that we are part of one supreme system, and that we are surrounded by illimitable spaces, filled with godlike forces and powers, who will aid us to any height or attainment if we put ourselves in harmony with them; and it teaches us that within ourselves lie undreamed-of and superhuman powers that render us godlike in strength if we choose to develop them. It teaches us that selfishness is the root of all evil, and only in subjugation of self can peace be attained.
"Why!" exclaims the Christian, "all this is what Christianity is at the core!"
Ah, yes, my dear Christian, all religions are the same at the core, for the core is the essence of God's love. But Christianity, like many other religions, has grown away from the core, to a very tough rind of creeds and dogmas.
"Do as you would be done by" is the core of Christianity, as of Theosophy. 309But I can count upon the fingers of one hand the church members of my acquaintance who place this phrase higher than any portion of the catechism or creed of their denomination, and who regard its obedience to be of more import than the strict observance of Sunday, or partaking of Communion, or a belief in the Trinity.
Few of our prominent divines follow this motto to the extent of avoiding narrow prejudices and belittling quarrels over dogmas and creeds. The recent Church wrangles which disturbed the spiritual nerve-centres of the United States were sufficient to turn devout natures away from modern Christianity, in search of something more elevating and strengthening.
Theosophy has received many converts, owing to the undignified quarrels of Christian clergymen, but alas! Theosophy has other than true followers as well as Christianity, and already its ranks need weeding. Fad-lovers, seekers after the marvellous, restless souls who desire change, and sensational people who desire to astound the world, are all crowding into the broad aisles of Theosophy.
The man who to-day says "I am a Theosophist," needs watching.
One of the founders of Theosophical Branches in America retarded my early desires for investigation by his pretense of occult knowledge of my personal affairs, which I know he had learned by quizzing a mutual friend. This was followed by an exhibition of petty jealousy and vanity which made many, for a time, doubt the worth of a religion that could produce such leaders. This man is no longer regarded as a Theosophist, however, although he undoubtedly is a magician of some power.
A man who claims to be an advanced Theosophist, and who is writing a book upon the subject, was endeavoring to enlighten me on some intricate points of its mechanism recently. I was interested in his assertion of having visited a friend's house in the astral body that day, and in his description of the various forms he saw surrounding different people. But when I detected in him a vein of intense selfishness in the small daily matters of life, and saw him display uncharitableness and discourtesy, I lost my interest in his occult powers. This man cared only for the phenomena of Theosophy, evidently, and pursued his studies with a desire to startle, not to benefit, his kind.
It seems an unfortunate fact that such a man can develop his occult powers to a great degree, without living up to the higher spiritual demands of Theosophy. Yet such is the case. Without doubt this man could project his astral body to a distance, and could behold mysterious forms; yet he certainly does not walk in the noble eight-fold path to Truth, for this journey demands among other things Right Thoughts, Right Speech, Right Endeavor, Right Meditation, Right Doctrine.
In speaking to me of a lady acquaintance he said, "Although so young, she is a full-fledged Theosophist." The young lady modestly assented to this, and assured me she could feel a person's "aura" the moment she entered a room. Within a week, however, I detected her in jealous backbiting and malicious gossip concerning a rival who had never harmed her 310in any way. It seemed a misfortune that this young lady could not detect her own aura and improve upon it. She seemed better fitted for Church sewing-societies than for Theosophy.
Hartmann says, "There is nothing more productive of a tendency to develop selfishness than the development of a high degree of intellectuality without any accompanying growth of spirituality."
I can only account for the remarkable evidences of selfishness among some Theosophists in this way. Those who study it with the brain only, and pursue it as a Science, are able to develop certain hidden powers which they possess, but they also develop intense selfishness with these powers. Such people are far more dangerous to the progress of humanity to a higher goal than the creed-bound Church member; and just in the proportion as they are stronger. It requires no strength to accept the idea of the vicarious atonement. It requires only passive inactivity of mind. The creed-crammed Christian mind is not progressive, and not dangerous; but the intellectual Theosophist who has neglected his spiritual development is a dangerous character.
I once met a pronounced Theosophist of this order, who would not kill a mosquito because he did not believe it right to take life. Yet he did not hesitate to take credit which belonged to others, in a petty spirit of wanting all the glory in his vicinity. Such a man, and the woman who disseminates scandal, are mere pretenders in the Courts of Theosophy; however much they may have developed their occult or intellectual powers, they should not be allowed to represent the religion.
A research into Theosophy can bring harmful knowledge alone, unless the spirit is developed with the mind, and made to crave the highest good, which means the extinction of self for selfish purposes. The true Theosophist cares little about phenomena, and does not boast of his powers in that direction; his life is open to the most scrutinizing investigation, and his influence is as inspiring and comforting as the sunlight. He is a "spiritual power for good," and delights in giving pleasure and help, and asks no reward save his own consciousness of being an instrument of the Powers of good.
It is impossible for the true Theosophist to feel jealousy or envy, he holds himself responsible for every thought, because he knows far better than any other the power of thought. He knows that by rigid control of his thoughts and their right direction he can bring himself into harmony with all the forces of the Universe and develop the God within him.
Christ was a perfect Theosophist, and the miracles he performed were the achievements of his spirit, which was wholly in league with the forces of beauty, light, goodness, and truth.
There is a Christ in each one of us, and the way to the true Christ is through Theosophy.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Footnotes