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vol. title: vol. period: 1879-1880 pages in vol.: 577 |
< Religious Tolerance Advanced by Spiritualism (continued from page 10-556) >
But the honour I have alluded to was not confined to meeting the above favoured lady only. I had the true pleasure also of an introduction on the same day to another of that eminent family, to her sister, a contemporary primal partaker of the new influx. And when I heard from the lips of these gentle ladies of the cruel persecutions that they, as innocent, defenceless children, underwent, I then realised how much we owe to these first sufferers, almost martyrs to the cause of truth.
It is not my place to enter into details. I do trust that we shall one day ere long read of them from their proper source. But this I will say, that there is not a word in the celebrated “First Proposition” of Paley’S Evidences of Christianity, that was not equally applicable in early days, to these persecuted children, our first pioneers. These are Paley’s words: “There is satisfactory evidence that they passed their lives in labours, dangers, and sufferings, voluntarily undergone in attestation of the accounts that they delivered, and solely in consequence of their belief in those accounts.”
And what is the message that they delivered in return for all the intolerance to which they were subjected? Simply good for evil; light for darkness; tolerance, even in religion, in return for intolerance.
I am forced again to turn to self. In return for the tale of trial and self-sacrifice of these honoured sisters, I was telling of my own shortcomings. It was on a bright summer’s day, at a morning visit, no sitting for a seance. I mentioned that I found it expedient, some years back, to leave a country town in which I then lived, because my Spiritualism proved detrimental to my family who were not Spiritualists. So I added that for their sakes, in the place where I now lived, I did not mention Spiritualism. Immediately upon my making the above remark, what was my surprise at hearing three very loud raps. It was explained to me that the spirits who were present approved of this reticence on my part, for the reason that: “Family concord was above all things precious.” If this be not tolerance, the novel unselfish tolerance of our new influx and isolated teaching in the history of religion, I know not what is.
I have one word more to say respecting the tolerance of our new influx. We read The Pioneer of May 25th, 1880, said to be the official journal of the Indian government, of an almost unprecedented success of Madame Blavatsky, Colonel Olcott and other members of the Theosophical Society on a missionary journey through the island of Ceylon, they being received publicly by the Buddhist people and priesthood with every mark of respect, hospitality, and welcome. At one of the meetings where it is said not only the Cingalese, but that all the English colony were present, Colonel Olcott is reported to have thus spoken; he spoke in English but every sentence was interpreted also at the time, into Cingalese. These were his words: “The object of the visit of the delegation, was to organise at Ceylon a branch of the Theosophical Society, a society which is the representation of the principles of an universal tolerance.”
I would also further ask: Where did Colonel Olcott gain the initiative which led him on the road towards the adoption of this noble programme? And I would further ask: Would he be now preaching anything or anywhere, least of all universal tolerance in India and Ceylon, were it not for the blessings brought about first through that famous and favoured family so entirely unobtrusive withal, yet so great, to whom it has been my present privilege to allude.
Miracles and the Broad Church
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<... continues on page 10-558 >
Editor's notes
- ↑ Miracles and the Broad Church by unknown author, London Spiritualist, The, No. 429, November 12, 1880, p. 231-33
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 429, November 12, 1880, p. 231-33