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vol. title: vol. period: 1882 pages in vol.: 174 |
< The Theosophical Society. (continued from page 14-67) >
Editor of the Pioneer, who had come down from Allahabad, occupied the chair.
The chairman, in opening the proceedings, said.—The business is to celebrate the seventh anniversary since the foundation in New York, and the fourth that has been held since the head-quarters were transferred to Bombay. We have the pleasure of welcoming a large number of delegates from various branches of the Society scattered all over India, and from each of them we hope to hear some account of the progress that has been made with the work of the Society in the places they represent. We have also to hear from the President-founder, Colonel Olcott, a general report on the progress of the whole society. That this report will be satisfactory in its nature the aspect of this meeting affords us at starting good ground for hope. The Society has now been established in Bombay for nearly four years, and has effectually lived down the misapprehension by which its earliest efforts were attended. Many friends of the Society were indignant to find that any misapprehensions were possible, but although I certainly count myself among its warmest friends, I do not see reason to be surprised at the development of mistrust and vague suspicion at first. The public could hardly fail to see the aspect of this movement in the beginning. Two foreigners coming to set up a large organisation in India could hardly expect to escape suspicion at the outset of their operations, nor to avoid engendering among ordinary worldly-minded people, an impression that they must have some private ends to gain, or some unexplained objects to serve. In a measure the natural uncertainty concerning their designs to which I refer, was shared at first by the constituted authorities, but to a much more limited extent I think than some exaggerated report may have led some of you to imagine. It is the clear duty of constituted authorities in every country to watch the proceedings of foreign visitors who call public meeting and address the people. And the only way by which such watchfulness can be carried out is by means of the regular agents which constituted authorities employ. In the present case, however, I am confident in saying that the attention which the founder of the Theosophical Society excited led in an exceedingly short time to the conclusion that their attitude and objects were altogether blameless, even if the philanthropic dreams by which they were animated might be vain and chimerical. Gentlemen, it is from a mistrustful generation, and not from a liberal-minded Government, that the founder of the Theosophical Society have had to encounter opposition amongst the representatives of authority. The founders of this society have come to number many of their best friends, but among the people to whose welfare they have devoted their lives, they have encountered much cheering support it is true, but some hostility and opposition. This opposition seems to have sprung partly from the inability under which some persons find themselves to believe in a philanthropy that is perfectly pure-hearted, and in connexion with which there are no personal objects to gain, and partly from the sensitive dislike which so many of us entertain for any philosophical views which can in any way be construed as hostile to our own particular religious faith. Now the Theosophical as a Society, though in no sense of the word an irreligious Society, is a Society of no specific religion. One of the ends it has in view is to promote a searching investigation into the original basis and foundations of all religions, with the idea rather of justifying all than of overthrowing any. But in the magazine which is the organ of the Society, and in speeches which have been made from time to time by its representative criticisms, have often been put forward which have found fault with the external modern developments,—now of one religion and now of another. In this way it has come to pass that the devotees of more than one religion have resented the utterances of various members of the society as indicating a special hostility on the part of the society to their own particular faith. But no impression can be more erroneous than one which would picture the society as either the champion or the foe of any particular faith. That of which it is the champion is Truth, some portion of which underlies every religion which has ever won its way in the world: that of which it is the foe, is error, with which every religion after long use in the world becomes more or less encrusted. But even this philosophical search for Truth is hardly the primary object of the society. That object is promoted by the philosophical search for Truth, as I hope directly to show that object itself is that pressed in the foremost watchword of the Society, Universal Brotherhood. (Cheers. Now Universal Brotherhood is not a new idea, and the society is sometimes unfavourably criticised for taking it as a watchword, on the ground that it is too vague an idea to be realised, and too vast to be otherwise than Utopian. But first of all it should be remembered in our favour that there never was a time or a country in which an effort in the direction of establishing a feeling of Universal Brotherhood was more urgently needed than it needed in this country now (loud cheers) and secondly, we maintain that the Theosophical Society comes before the world with a modification of the old and hitherto unrealised idea, which renders it less vague than it has been hitherto, if not less vast, and certainly more practical. For hitherto universal brotherhood has been preached as the brotherhood of this or that religious denomination. Now we Theosophists preach the idea as divorced from all denominational exclusiveness and as embracing all …ekers for truth, whatever their creed may be, and of necessity, whatever their race. In this way the watchword of the society in its application to India may be translated into an appeal to all well-wishers of India to do good to India in the way in which good most requires to be done,—in the way of pointing out fields of intellectual activity in which the cultivated men of all races which inhabit India may work together, and feel themselves brotherly in mind, and thus in the progress of time, as their intellect inspires their sympathies, truly brotherly in feeling. Gentlemen, there is only one way in which you can bring together races of people who differ from each other in habits; tastes and pursuits. You must show each that it really has something to gain from the other. Not in any ignoble sense of the term, but in the sense in which all men of real culture must necessarily gain from association with each other. A merely philanthropic desire to promote good feeling in India for good feeling’s sake is merely equivalent to saying the thing ought to be done. But the leaders of the Theosophical Society have this peculiarity as compared with all other philanthropists I know of who have declared for the same good object, that they go on to show how the thing can be done. They have discovered the true channel through which sympathies may flow between Europeans and Asiatics. That channel is philosophical study, in which the two main races which constitute the Indo-British nation are the complement of each other. The Theosophical Society shows European thinkers how the rich stores of ancient Aryan philosophy contains, disguised perhaps by symbology, but none the less intelligibly when the symbology is interpreted—that which I for one should call the absolute truth about spiritual things, and which at all events all intelligent students must recognise as a most valuable contribution to the purely speculative philosophies of the West. Let any European of culture, of any nationality, realise the true esoteric meaning of oriental philosophies—and further more by personal association with cultivated natives of this country, let him realise the great flexibility and acuteness of perception which characterises the Indian mind in regard to philosophical ideas, and he will certainly find a bond of sympathy with, and a motive of, respect for India that cannot fail to put him in a new attitude of mind towards the people of this country generally. In the same way let the Indian philosopher realise by working with the European how much even his own philosophy has to gain by contact with the clear precise methods of thought which European science teaches, and a reciprocal feeling of respect will be developed on his part, a respect not merely for the valuable practical every-day qualities of the European character with which every one is familiar, but for that quality in the European mind which renders it in philosophical speculation as I have said before the complement of the other. The chairman remarked that a great many people knew nothing about the secret history of the society. The society was not founded primarily for the study of occult sciences; but its inception was due to the brotherhood. He thought the time had come when a knowledge of the occult sciences and the philanthropic idea which gathered round that knowledge, might be disclosed to people who had an ardent sympathy with that kind of study; and in order that this work might be accomplished, the brotherhood had pitched upon one of the few people willing to make such a complete sacrifice as devotion to this work involved. Madame Blavatsky was selected for this work, and she chose for her associate Colonel Olcott. The two personages were thus brought together and launched on their career. The society was of an occult origin, and it had its commencement in the desire on the part of the brotherhood to do good to humanity. He did not think himself that there was any room for ambiguity about the position of the society. Its origin was perfectly intelligible; its work was clearly marked out for it: it had so far been most successful; and looking at the meeting, he defied anybody to dispute that position. (Applause.) The chairman then called upon the treasurer to read his report.
The report was read. The treasurer also read telegrams received from the Thakore of Wudhwan, Shree Harisingjee of Sihore, and the secretary of the Nellore branch of the society, expressive of their sympathy with the object of the society, and regretting their inability to attend the meeting.
Rao Bahadoor Gopalrao Huri Deshmookh then addressed the meeting. He said theosophy had three great aims—universal brotherhood; inquiry and investigation into ancient philosophy, science, and literature, particularly of India; and investigation into the mysterious powers of nature. The speaker explained at length that a cultivation of these objects would be greatly beneficial to a country divided by so many sects and castes and interests.
Baboo Norendronath Sen, Editor of the Indian Mirror, was introduced by the chairman as a delegate from the Bengal branch of the Theosophical Society. In the course of a long address, he extolled the objects of the society, and exhorted the people to shake off provincial jealousy, and working hand in hand, contribute to the great work of national progress. (Cheers.) They had received proofs of the most incontrovertible character of the existence of the Himalayan brotherhood. (Applause.) There was no institution in all India more useful, and cherishing higher and nobler objects, than the Theosophical Society, founded by men to whom they were deeply indebted for working at an enormous sacrifice from the purest and noblest motives. (Cheers.) Though Europeans by birth, Colonel Olcott and Madame Blavatsky were Hindus at heart. (Applause.) Yes, better Hindus than many of them. In former days it was the privilege of the East to teach the West, but now by a strange fatality the position was reversed. (Hear, hear.) The illustrious founders of the society were not adventurers, as some silly people would call them. Let them recall to mind the glorious past of India, and let them not be so unpatriotic and heartless as to withhold from them the right hand of fellowship. The speaker was convinced that India could not have better and more sincere friends. (Cheers.) They were reviled and laughed at by people—sometimes even by his own countrymen—who knew little about these personages. As a Hindu he was ashamed of their conduct. India was not dead, but asleep, and educated natives must devote all their energy to rouse her from her lethargy. As a humble journalist, who had taken to that profession at an early age, solely with the desire of doing some good to his country, he had allied himself with a movement in which he had found all the important factors of the future advancement of his country. The speaker then recounted a number of virtues pertaining to the head and heart which, according to him, theosophy would foster and develope. There were no better friends of natives, he continued, than their chairman, Mr. Hume, formerly a Secretary to the Government of India (cheers), and others whom he was not privileged to name. Under the present system of education, the natives were losing their nationality, so much so that they would in a few years become a set of dark Englishmen. (Laughter and cheers.) But, happily for them, theosophy had come to their rescue. The Hindus had no more idea of their sacred Shastras than the man in the moon; the educational policy had been a mistaken one from the beginning, and it had done more harm than good. The natives had lost respect for their ancestors, and faith in their religion, without getting anything in substitution. As the speaker proceeded to “turn to the other features of theosophy,” the audience showed signs of impatience. After momentary quiet was restored, the speaker went on to say that man, who was the “paragon of animals,” and made in the Image of God, should not be a slave to circumstances. The Baboo discoursed for some time upon the subject of love and truth, the duties and responsibilities of educated natives, the benefits of English rule, and kindred topics. But as time wore on, the audience showed, by renewed hisses and interruptions, that they wished the speaker to cut short his harangue. Mr. Norendronath, having taken the hint, wound up by saying that with Queen Victoria as “mother Empress,” and with India as their mother country, they had much to be grateful for. (Loud cheers.)
The chairman said that his friend Baboo Norendronath had taxed their patience to some extent. But a more admirable exposition of the whole theosophical position had not been heard for a long time (“question!” and applause.) The speeches to be delivered by the other delegates would be exceedingly short, each of them not occupying more than five minutes.
Two delegates from Madras and Lahore respectively then addressed the meeting, the young Mahomedan who had come from the North-West speaking in Hindee. As their hearts were full of the subject of their discourse, they totally forgot the limitation as to time. Mr. Gopinath, of Lahore, created amusement by his eloquent apostrophe to India, in the manner of a person addressing his lady-love. The audience again showing some signs of impatience, the chairman had to alter the original programme, by which the speech of Colonel Olcott was to follow the speeches of the delegates. The chairman asked Colonel Olcott to address the meeting, adding that those who did not care to stay afterwards for the speeches of the remaining delegates might withdraw. Colonel Olcott, before entering upon his discourse, said that he had had some experience of public assemblages, and had always learnt to respect the majesty of the majority (a laugh); and with the permission of the chairman, he therefore proposed to put the question to the vote, whether the meeting wished him to go on with his remarks at that stage of the proceedings, or whether they would first hear “those eminent men from different parts of India who had come here to testify the feeling of brotherhood now prevailing throughout the length and breadth of the land.” The Colonel said that those who wished that the programme should be altered might say “aye,” and those opposed to it might say “no.” The call was eagerly responded to by the audience, and it was soon declared that the “ayes” had it.
Colonel Olcott then gave a brief summary of the working of the society. He said he wished, in the first place, to give expression to the feeling which prevailed throughout Aryawart, of gratitude to the gentleman who occupied the chair (loud cheers), for his loyal devotion and his kindly sympathy with this unfortunate country. (Cheers.) The society had been struggling against great difficulties, great misconceptions, and much unkindness, but it was a proud day, indeed, for the founders of the society that they could see around the platform men from the four quarters of India and Ceylon, to testify, each on behalf of the society which he represented, the interest and affection inspired by theosophy throughout the land. India need not despair of her future, as the society numbered among its members judges, journalists, lawyers, and other men successful in various walks of life. (Applause.) He could say that in the aggregate the society had been productive of much practical good already, putting aside, if they pleas-<... continues on page 14-69 >