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| subtitle =
| subtitle =
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| source title =
| source title = London Spiritualist
| source details =
| source details = No. 285, February 8, 1878, p. 65
| publication date =
| publication date = 1878-02-08
| original date =
| original date =
| notes =
| notes =
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}}
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{{Style S-Small capitals|I Can}} only infer from Mr. Harrison’s giving place to what has been written (and well written) in criticism of my article on “The Views of the Theosophists,” that the discussion meets his approval. I will, therefore, again ask a hearing. I joyfully cross lances with “M.A., Oxon,” for long acquaintance teaches me that though I be vanquished in the tilt, I shall have chivalrous treatment at my victor’s hands.
{{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on |4-197}}
I begin with his paper in ''The Spiritualist, ''of January 11th. “How,” he asks me, “can Occultism and Spiritualism be regarded as ‘natural allies?’'' ''I should have thought that Occultism, according to Olcott, was the deadly foe of Spiritualism as interpreted by popular teachers. Indeed, I should have thought that the mission of Occultism was to strike at the root of the central theory of Spiritualism, and to discourage its practice altogether.” Occultism is the natural ally of Spiritualism against the common enemy, Materialism, because they both teach that man survives physical death, and that this is a demonstrable fact.
But Occultism is the more potent antagonist of the common enemy in that it teaches ''pure ''Spiritualism, the quintessence of popular Spiritualism. Occultists have so great a veneration for Spiritual philosophy as to regard as of secondary importance, when not positively dangerous, the psycho-physiological phenomena of mediumship. Both Theosophists and Spiritualists are searching after spiritual truth; but, while the former aim to get the whole and highest truth, irrespective of individual prepossessions and prejudices, the latter start out with a dogma, and show a tendency to erect a theology upon the basis of blind faith, There have been efforts to formulate a Spiritualist creed, organise churches, both with and without Christian features, and to refuse sceptics the privilege of testing mediums, And, if the criticisms of “M.A., Oxon,” and other orthodox Spiritualists upon my article of December 7th mean anything, they mean that, in introducing the Eastern notions of Elementaries and Elementals under European names, we Theosophists are laying profane hands upon the sacred dogma that the medial phenomena are attributable only to the “spirits” of our deceased friends. Thus, it is seen that up to a certain point we are allies, beyond that, antagonists, What there is good in Spiritualism we would preserve, what bad, eradicate. But far be it from us to force our notions upon Spiritualists. We have been silent until silence would be construed as weakness. If we utter any truth, it will find hearers, if only error, that will show itself in due time. We seek no converts; those who wish to know our views must come to us, we shall not go to them. We are forced into print by the discussion and misrepresentation of our principles.
When I said that'' ''“we accept the doctrine of the immortality of the human spirit,” I did ''not'' mean the ''potential'' immortality. By the human spirit, I meant just what the term implies—that portion of the divine spirit which overshadows or rather illuminates the individual, which completes the human trine. When I say that immortality—the immortal continuation of the personal entity—is potential, I convey the idea that it rests with each of us whether we shall be individually immortal, or, by the gradual severing of the bond between spirit (νους) and soul ψυχη become obliterated. My friend Oxon may be startled with the state- {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on |4-197}}
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<gallery widths=300px heights=300px>
london_spiritualist_n.285_1878-02-08.pdf|page=7|London Spiritualist, No. 285, February 8, 1878, p. 65
</gallery>