HPB-SB-3-171

T i

vol. 3, p. 171

H. P. Blavatsky Scrapbooks

from Adyar archives of the International Theosophical Society

vol. 3 (1875-1878)

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<Untitled> (By all the doubts and trials that so vex us)

By all the doubts and trials that so vex us, By all the falls and failures that annoy, By all the strange delusions that perplex us, And yield no fruit of joy,

< Plain Statements and Explanations (continued from page 3-170) >

...

An Important Letter

We desire attention to the following communication from Col. Olcott, in reference to his article printed last week.

New York, Oct. 18, 1875.

To the Editor of the Spiritual Scientist:

Sir:—I desire to express my regret that in writing to you the MS. of my article, “Occultism and its Critics,” which appeared last week, I should have made the mistake of including a page upon which was written the rough draft of the following sentence, “when the great army of perspirational and inspirational speakers, with numerous honorable and evident exceptions, will be crowded off the rostrum and back to the wash-tub and the manure-fork, at which alone they are of practical benefit to society.” This is what I meant to say, and what I wrote in the revised copy which should have been sent you, but in the rough draft the italicized words are omitted. Without this explanation, I would appear as including in one sweeping denunciation many ladies and gentlemen whose talents and devotion I thoroughly respect, and whose feelings I should be very loth to offend.

Yours truly,

Henry S. Olcott

.

The Archbishop of Toulouse on Spiritism

Several journals having discussed the tenor of the U mandate of the Archbishop of Toulouse’ we here give an extract which recapitulates the sentiments of this pastoral; it is taken from The National of February loth, 1875: —

“The Archbishop of Toulouse acknowledges with grief the mysticism of the Spiritists comes into painful competition with Catholic mysticism.

He then demonstrates that Spiritism falls under the anathemas of the church:

1st. Because Spiritism consults the souls of the dead, in lieu of invoking them, as does Catholicism, if they are in the enjoyment of eternal joy, of succoring them if they are in expiatory flames.

2nd. Because Catholicism alone has the monopoly of the supernatural; and every other doctrine can only pretend to the marvellous, the marvellousness of imposture.

3rd. Because the Spirit of God reveals itself to Catholics only: and because, if the evocations of Spiritism are not seances of conjuring, they are satanic evocations, communion with demons.

4th. Because private revelations are of no value if not certified by the Church, guaranteed by the infallible control of the Church.

5th. Because Spiritism borders on Idolatry.

6th. Because Spiritism produces hallucination, and because the frequent result of Spiritist practice is a sort of giddiness, and mental exaltations.

7th. Because the partisans of the Spiritist doctrines do not admit that Adam is the sole father of the human race.

8th. Because Spiritism does not acknowledge the eternal punishment of hell, but believes that after death the duration and the severity of chastisement will be in proportion to the faults committed during life.

9th. Because Spiritism alleges that all religions are equal in the sight of God, who judges man solely by the purity of his heart.

10th. Because Spiritism affirms that the indissolubility of the conjugal bond is a law contrary to nature, and that under certain circumstances divorce might be a necessity.

And Monseigneur, the Archbishop of Toulouse, concludes thus: ‘Let us burn the books that treat on Spiritism. Let us never listen, on subjects of faith, to the voice of any other society thar the Church.’ ”—

Editor's notes

Sources

• 

  Spiritual Scientist, v. 3, No. 7, October 21, 1875, p. 79

• 

  Spiritual Scientist, v. 2, No. 6, April 15, 1875, p. 67