So far as I can gather from what he says_The changing world, and lectures to theosophical students. Fifteen lectures delivered in London during May, June, and July, 1909

as historical, though he does not very clearly draw the line as to how

he would separate, historically, the Jesus of the Gospels from that

Ideal which he names “The Christ.” He says that he and many other people

find themselves beset by certain difficulties: “Are the claims to be

presently set forth made on behalf of a spiritual ‘Ideal’ to which we may

provisionally apply the word ‘Christ,’ or are they predicated of Jesus?”

Then he goes on to say that insistence on limitations of knowledge,

restrictions of outlook, evasions of issues, and disillusionments of

experience, true enough of a historic Jesus, may not be wholly relevant

to a spiritual “Christ Ideal,” expanding and enriching through the ages

into “the Christ that is to be.” Then he says it would be still less

applicable to one who is regarded as the “fulness of Godhead,” “Very God

of very God.” That, practically, is his thesis, and he tries to show in

this article that very many difficulties might be avoided if Christians

were willing to recognise a Christ Ideal side by side with the historical

Jesus. In that way they might evade some of the difficulties which are

pressed against the conception of Jesus as the Christ by large numbers

of people who find their faith challenged and themselves in difficulties

by these objections which are put to them both inside and outside the

Church. He quotes Dr. Fairbairn, writing on _Christ in Modern Theology_.

“If He knows as God while He speaks as man, then His speech is not

true to His knowledge, and within Him a bewildering struggle must ever

proceed to speak as He seems and not as He is. If He had such knowledge,

how could He remain silent as He faced human ignorance, and saw reason

wearied with the burden of all its unintelligible mysteries? If men could

believe that once there lived on this earth One who had all the knowledge

of God, yet declined to turn any part of it into science for man, would

they not feel their faith in His goodness taxed beyond endurance?” That

view (which appears to be adopted by Mr. Roberts) does not seem to me

necessarily at all a sound one, and it is by no means certain that a man

speaking in a particular age to people among whom great limitations of

knowledge existed, and with a particular object before Him—not to enlarge

the bounds of science, but to deepen spirituality and lay a strong

foundation of morals—that such a Teacher, however highly illuminated,

however much speaking as the very Spirit of God, would say all that He

knew with regard to external facts and external phenomena, with the

certainty of making very difficult the reception of His message on

points enormously important—on points, in fact, of vital and essential

need for the higher spiritual progress of man. Hence it does not appear

to me that Dr. Fairbairn’s issue is at all well taken. Every great

teacher—not for the moment considering the special divinity of Christ or

Jesus—who is speaking to people less instructed than himself is under a

similar difficulty. If on matters of ordinary scientific knowledge he is

illuminated where they are not, the very fact that he presses that upon

them would bewilder and confuse. You cannot enable the human intellect

to evolve at what might be called a supernatural rate. It is capable of

growth, and often of rapid growth, but if you try to force it beyond the

rapid natural growth, you will only perplex, bewilder, and confuse; and

if your aim is not, broadly, to increase scientific knowledge, which

man will inevitably find out for himself after a time, but to help him

to the things which need spiritual illumination in order that he may

receive them, then such a difficulty as is put here as to the inner

bewilderment which would be felt by the speaker to speak as he seems, and

not as he is, would not be bewilderment at all, but a quite deliberate

limitation of what he said, with a view to the effectiveness of his work,

and that which he desired to give to the people of his time. That is

true necessarily of every great prophet, of every highly inspired man;

and the greatness of the inspiration would chiefly be shown, not in the

amount of physical knowledge which he might give, but rather in his

avoidance of certain difficulties which, when the race grew more learned,

might come in their way and complete their ideas. That is to say, he

would evade the scientific difficulty as far as he possibly could, and

would do it deliberately, knowing that that was not his particular

work, and that he could not do his own work if he turned aside in this

direction. So that, as far as I am personally concerned, looking on this

from the standpoint of the Theosophist and Occultist, these difficulties

to me do not exist. I realise that they must always be found where one

who is superhuman—I object to the word supernatural—comes in any age of

the world’s history in order to teach a new conception of religion, and

in order to adapt what he is giving to the civilisation which he intends

to influence.

It appears to me that it is a perfectly rational and necessary thing

that the growth of knowledge from the ordinary standpoint should be

left to work its way out along the lines of intellectual development;

anything less than that will check intellectual growth inevitably, for

intellectual growth can only come about by the freest of thought, the

freest of discussion, the most absolute liberty to challenge everything

and to controvert anything which appears to be illogical. The condition

of intellectual growth is that of complete freedom, and any sort of

limitation which is put upon it by the knowledge of a great teacher

will only check that intellectual evolution which is essential for the

future growth of man. Many similar difficulties, of course, are made

with regard to all inspired Scriptures, and for that reason it seems to

me that it is well that we distinguish definitely between the spiritual

work of the spiritual teacher and the scientific investigation of the

scientific student; that it should be realised that these two departments

of human activity work under different laws to a very great extent, and

that that which is spiritually known cannot always be justified to the

intellect until that intellect becomes spiritually enlightened—that

is, that you have to deal in man with a being who is fundamentally a

spiritual being, in whom the divine Spirit becomes incarnate, embodied,

but in whom that divine Spirit is going to unfold along three great

lines of unfoldment which we find in all human consciousness, which we

recognise as in the divine nature itself. It has to unfold to an ordered

Activity which should be truly in harmony with the laws of nature, which

are the expression of the divine nature in this manifested form. It has

to unfold along the Intellectual line, and that unfoldment must be left

utterly unfettered. It has also to evolve along that line which in its

lowest stages is emotion, in its higher stages is religion; and that

spiritual unfolding, the highest characteristic of Spirit showing itself

out as Will, has to be developed from above more than from below, to come

downward by illumination more than to climb upward by reasoning. Unless

we can understand this complicated nature of man in whom divinity is

gradually unfolding and mastering matter at every stage of its unfolding,

mastering, purifying it, ultimately spiritualising it; in all its

earlier stages limited by the matter that it has yet failed to master,

gradually making it plastic and ductile, and then in its higher stages

having utterly subdued it to its own purposes—unless we can understand

that that is a rough outline of human evolution, we shall constantly

find ourselves in difficulties between the intellectual growth and the

spiritual unfolding. Hence whenever a man comes to earth in whom divinity

is far more manifestly unfolded than in his fellow-men, he can only shed

down upon them illumination from the spiritual region, stimulate their

aims, but not control their intellect. If that be realised, then the

whole of these difficulties, which are being made at the present time

about the obvious limitations outwardly of the knowledge of the supreme

Christian Teacher, will entirely fall out of court, and you will see that

He was speaking to the people of His day in the way that He could best

affect them in order to help forward their evolution from the standpoint

where they were, and was not the least intent on showing out His enormous

knowledge, which would only have crushed rather than assisted.

Suppose for the moment you can take that way of looking at human

evolution—and it seems to me the most rational way of looking at it—then

we come to deal with this special manifestation of the Teacher who was

the Founder of Christianity, a Hebrew speaking to Hebrews, and having

to reconcile the speaking to the people of His day with the speaking to

people of generations after generations, through centuries and perhaps

millennia to come, then we should be perfectly able to realise that we

are here face to face with one of those supreme divine manifestations,

and that in studying it we must be ready to separate between the Teacher

of religion and the man speaking to the men of His day, and accepting

their limitations in order that He might reach them effectively. I

want to carry you very much further than that in what I say; all that

might very well be accepted by any rational and intelligent Christian,

especially if he finds himself able to realise that what is said of the

divinity of Jesus is true at a very much lower level of all His brethren,

that all men are fundamentally and essentially divine; that that which

was said by the great teacher S. Paul: “Know ye not that your body is

the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” and that

which was answered by Jesus Himself, when he was challenged for calling

Himself the Son of God: “Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are

Gods, and ye are all the children of the Highest?” is literally true. If

you realise all that is implied in that statement, that He is the first

among many brethren, you will see that every Son of Man is potentially,

and will hereafter be actually, a Son of God, meaning by that that Deity

will unfold within him, and that a manifestly divine humanity is the

natural goal of evolution.

One realises, in looking at an article like this, that by the mystic

Christ—that is what the writer means—he means that in the Epistles a

somewhat different view is taken from that of the Gospels, the one

dealing specially with an historical person, the other with an indwelling

Spirit. He realises that when the Apostle Paul declares to his converts

that he is travailing in birth for them until Christ be formed in them,

when he says in another passage that they are to develop to the measure

of the stature of the fulness of Christ, he is holding up before them

a picture of the birth in the soul of this divine Spirit that he spoke

of as Christ, and the gradual unfolding of that into the perfection of

divine manhood. That is perhaps the most inspiring ideal that can well be

put before Christian people, that not only outside them but within them,

not only as an outer helper but as an indwelling Spirit, this idea of

the Christ is to be realised, and that that unfolding of the Christ in

man is a real fact in religious consciousness, making that highest stage

of human evolution when the man becomes perfect, and there only remains

before him the superhuman evolution after the human is finished.

But I want to put to you rather a different idea of this relation between

Jesus and Christ. I recognise to the full the value of that mystic ideal,

I have not one word to say against it; in fact it is one that, when I am

speaking to Christians, I constantly proclaim—the absolute necessity of

that indwelling presence. But there is another view of this great Being

which may be less familiar to you, which is the view taken by those who

are sometimes called Occultists, in a very special sense of the term.

Let me put it to you quite baldly for the moment, and then work it out

a little more. The view that we take of that great Teacher who came to

the world some two thousand years ago is, that the child who was born

and who grew up into manhood until the time of the Baptism was a man

of marvellous purity, of extraordinary spiritual intuition, but a man

that we should call a disciple; that it was his to train and guard that

pure body in preparation for the incoming of the indwelling Christ, and

that in the Gospel story it is the event of the Baptism which marks the

coming of the Christ. Let me just recall the words to you for a moment:

“When Jesus went down into the water, the heavens opened, and the Spirit

of God came down upon Him like a dove, and abode upon Him. And a voice

was heard from heaven saying, ‘This is my beloved Son; hear ye Him.’”

Now it is clear that that event, marked out so distinctly in the Gospel

story, must connote something of enormous importance. There was no need,

as it were, for Him who was to be the Teacher to be baptised, and to

receive the downcoming Spirit of the Most High, unless in that there was

hid some profound spiritual truth, unless something was there afterward

that was not there before; and it is _then_, from the occult point of

view, that the _Jesus_ became the _Christ_. But let me put it to you even

a little more closely. Here, of course, is where the point of difference

will probably arise in the minds of many in regard to what I am saying,

for all might be willing to recognise that that might imply a great

downflow of spiritual energy, of divine life. From our standpoint Jesus

the Hebrew, the individual, the spiritual man, stepped out of the body

that he had been dwelling in through all those years and preparing for

the coming of his Lord, giving it over as a holy temple for the incoming

of the supreme Teacher, so that the body became the habitation of the

supreme Teacher for the three years of the ministry. Now that view, as

many of you who have studied Christian history will know, was very widely

held in the early Church; although it was condemned later as the Gnostic

heresy, none the less it was quite orthodox until its formal condemnation

within the Catholic Church, until the time that it was expelled. You

find it in many of the early writings of the learned Christian teachers,

you find it warred against by some others of the Christian teachers and

doctors and bishops of the time, but none the less it was a view which

had very wide prevalence in the early Church; it was accepted by large

numbers of profoundly learned men; and although ultimately condemned as

a heresy in the forms in which it was put, it might none the less not be

improbable, even from the standpoint of the orthodox, that some truth was

hidden in it in the broad sense, even if the form in which it was put

forward in the Church of those days was justly condemned. My own view is

that they were right, not in all the details of the way in which they put

it, but in the fundamental fact. Let us suppose for a moment that they

were so; then the question would necessarily arise—who is the Christ? And

it is there that, as I said, there was one view that might be unfamiliar

to you in the West, yet which, it seems to me, should be to the Christian

a view full of beauty and full of hope for the future. There is only one

Supreme Teacher of mankind. There is a great office above all those whom

we Theosophists speak of as Masters—a Master of Masters, so to speak—the

one Supreme Teacher. In Christendom you speak of him by the Greek name, a

name which, as you know, was taken from the Grecian mysteries, of which

a particular grade of initiation bore the name of the Christos, and the

Adept who reached that grade was spoken of as the Christos. That was the

name which was adopted in the early Church, according to the account in

the Acts, to designate this great Teacher who had come to the world, and

we should say, rightly adopted. It is an instance of spiritual insight

recognising a great truth.

But now, supposing I ask you to go to the people of other religions for a

moment, the ancient religions that we find in the eastern world. Suppose

I ask a member of the most ancient of those, the Hindū faith: “Do you

recognise in your religion one supreme World-Teacher above all religions,

and not belonging to one exclusively—a universal Teacher?”—he would say,

“of Gods and men”; over here you would say, “of Angels and men,” because

the word there, Deva, is equivalent to your word Angel. He would at once

say: “Why, yes; of course we recognise one Supreme Teacher at the head

of all spiritual life and impulse, and we call him (pardon me if I use

for the moment their name) the Jagat-Guru—the World-Teacher.” Supposing

I went to another great religion there—the Buddhist—and I asked a member

the same question: “Do you recognise in your religion a Supreme Teacher?”

his answer would at once be, “Why, of course we do. There is only one

who holds the place of Teacher over all Gods and all men; one Teacher

only who is the Teacher of the world. We call Him the Bodhisattva—the

Wisdom-Truth.” No nobler name could be given to Him; He is the Wisdom and

the Truth; not the Buddha, as you may have expected me to say; He was

not the Teacher. When He reached Buddhahood He passed away from earth.

It is while He is going onwards to Buddhahood that He is known by this

name of Wisdom-Truth, or Boddhisattva. During the whole of that period

of teaching He has this name; and then when the supreme illumination

comes to Him his office is finished, and He passes away from earth. Of

course, as we know, the last Buddha remained in his body for some time,

still teaching, but none the less the office of the Teacher is not to the

Buddhist the Buddha, but he who is to be the Buddha—what you would call

the Christ glorified and ascended, not the Christ on earth teaching and

suffering. It is interesting to notice how in the various religions these

same points arise and these same differences are seen under different

names, so that we see that in these two greatest of eastern religions a

Supreme Teacher is recognised. Now, from the occult standpoint, it is

that Teacher who came as the Christ; and, supposing that all Christian

people recognised that fact, they would reach the hearts of the eastern

world far better than they do now, if, instead of telling them they must

worship the Christ, they would say to them, “You are already worshipping

Him under a different name,” which is supremely true; for it is the same

Being who holds that office through all these thousands of years, the

same supreme Perfection. He only comes into manifestation in order to

help His younger brethren; He leaves that body when its utility for the

moment is over; when, being so great in comparison with the people to

whom He came, they could no longer tolerate His presence.

Now that is the view of the nature of the Christ which you would find

among, say, Occultists or well-instructed Theosophists. They recognise

in the Christ of Christendom the Supreme Teacher of the world, but they

do not admit that He will come only once to the world; they reverence

and honour Him now as still the Supreme World-Teacher, but they do not

identify Him with the great disciple who took the Jewish name as Jesus,

and who is now amongst us as the Master who is the Guide and Helper of

the Christian Church. There is the point where the difference would come

in. The orthodox Christian would claim Him as supreme over all religions,

but he would hardly recognise difference between the disciple who has

become the Master with the special Christian Church in His charge, and

the Supreme Teacher who, while He certainly ever sends His benediction

upon Christianity, sends it also upon the other great religions of

the world. This is where I feel the difference might come in between

myself and many of you. To us the great Master Jesus, who is, as you

would also acknowledge—those of you, at least, who are members of the

Church of England—thus still dwelling in a human body, still embodied

literally, has that power which the Master on the higher planes of being

has, of being spiritually in touch with all who call upon Him, with

all who look to Him for guidance, but none the less still possesses a

physical body. This is a point of enormous importance (although not as

important as spiritual omnipresence), for it means to us, and it means

to many Christians who think with us, and are Theosophists with us, a

possibility of a close and personal relation, as of a disciple to a

Master, which goes somewhat beyond the spiritual communion which every

true Christian has with his great Teacher. How should I put that to

convey exactly what I mean in clear and definite language? I must put

it, I think, by giving a general principle with regard to these great

Beings whom we speak of as Masters, divine men, men made perfect, which

works through the whole of that great Brotherhood. They have many ways

of working in the world; through their own subtle, spiritual bodies

they work, sending out floods of blessing over the whole world; but, in

addition to that spiritual impulse and spiritual blessing which flow

into every heart that opens itself to receive them, with an ever present

and potent power, there is an even closer and more specialised communion

between the Spirit as embodied and those who are still wearing human

bodies themselves, a possibility which the saints have realised of that

personal and individual and specialised communion with their Master where

they saw Him, heard Him; where to them He became, not only a spiritual

presence, but an individualised Teacher, and even Friend; where they

knew themselves as disciples, and knew Him as Master, which is the

great mark, after all, of those who are specifically called the saints.

For that close and intimate and specialised relationship the body is

necessary; and hence, although sceptics have very often challenged that

Article of the Church of England where it says that “He did truly take

again His body, with flesh and bones, and all things appertaining to the

perfection of man’s nature,” it does convey a fundamental and essential

truth: the great Teacher is not only a spiritual Presence, He is a human

though divine Being, who can be specifically and personally known. And

if this latest impulse of Divine Wisdom which we call Theosophy is to be

of use to Christendom, it will be along these lines of gradually winning

Christians back to a conception that has been very largely lost—that

their touch with their Divine Master must be much closer and more

realised in the brain and human heart as contact of disciple and Teacher,

than when they are thinking of Him as Deity, when they are regarding Him

as the second Person in the Trinity. How far that will commend itself

to many of you it is, of course, impossible for me to say; but let the

outline, at least, be clear, so that it may be definitely understood.

It is the conception of a Christ for whom a body was prepared, and

prepared by His own well-loved disciple, who guarded, tended, trained it

through the years of childhood, of youth, and of early manhood; a body

surrendered to the incoming mighty Personage, who is the Supreme Teacher

of the world, incoming at the point marked by the Baptism, worn until

the time of the death, so that through the whole of that teaching, the

ministerial life, it was not Jesus but the Christ who was the Teacher who

founded Christianity. That body is laid aside, but He is still Lord of

all religions, and He gives to His well-beloved disciple who became the

Master Jesus this religion specifically as his charge, his work in the

world. Other religions would have other Masters, but only one Supreme;

others would look to other divine men made perfect, but would recognise

beyond them this Master of Masters; and hence all religions draw together

in the Supreme Teacher, and find there unity in that greatest and

mightiest of all. So that every religion looks up to the one Teacher

through Masters who specifically belong to the various faiths of the

world. That is the view which is very generally held in the Theosophical

Society, although none is bound to accept it, inasmuch as we impose no

dogmas upon anyone; it is the view which is taken by those who have been

most thoroughly instructed in this matter; and it seems to me that it is

one of extreme interest to thoughtful people, even if they do not find

themselves able to accept it.

That is, then, the view of the nature of Christ that I would submit to

you; and if you look at it you will see that the whole of the criticisms

to which I have referred fall to pieces, and no longer need disturb

the hearts or consciences of any; for it would be recognised that you

have here a manifestation of the same great Being, but not a unique

manifestation, who adapts Himself to the needs of His time, gives out

so much of His wisdom and truth as He thinks can be accepted by the

people of His day and generation, but who, in giving it, gives with it

an inspiring Spirit, which enables future generations to find more and

more in that teaching, and as they themselves develop spiritually, to

find ever greater depths in the teaching which had been given by the

Christ. You will see how naturally that view passes on into the future,

and why it is that many of us, believing that a new civilisation is

dawning upon earth, also believe that the same Supreme Teacher will again

be manifested, again to tread the earth as He trod it in Judæa, again to

enlighten the world with spiritual wisdom, again to strike the keynote of

a new civilisation, gathering all the religions of the world under that

supreme teaching of His own, so that we look forward to a coming Christ

as well as backward to a Christ in His last manifestation on the earth.

Lecture VII

The Theosophical Student in face of Revelation, Inspiration, and

Observation

_A Lecture delivered to the British Convention of the Theosophical

Society, July 4th, 1909_

Friends: Those who seriously take up the study of Theosophy should

not be satisfied with the mere reading of the voluminous theosophical

literature poured out into the world through the centuries of the

past, and continuing to flow into it in our own days. They should, in

addition, if they have any innate faculty for such investigation, prepare

to develop the faculties by which they may verify for themselves that

which they are told by others. But in all cases much theoretical study

is desirable before passing on into the practical, and in most cases it

may not be possible to develop the subtler senses within the limits of

the present incarnation, although a good foundation may be laid for such

development in the next. Hence theoretical study must form a large part

of the training of every theosophical student, and his attitude towards

such study is a matter of serious importance. He needs to discriminate

between the books he reads, and to suit his attitude to the type of the

book; he must seek to understand what is meant by Revelation, what by

Inspiration, and to distinguish revealed from inspired literature, and

both from the records of observations.

Some Scriptures which are regarded as authoritative lie at the back of

all the great religions. Thus Hindūism has the Veda. The word means

knowledge, and this knowledge is of that which is eternally true. It is

the knowledge of the Logos, the knowledge of the Lord of a universe;

the knowledge of what _is_, not of what _seems_; the knowledge of

realities, not of phenomena. This abides ever in the Logos; it is part

of Himself. In its manifested form, as revealed for the helping of man,

it becomes the _Vedās_, and in this form goes through many stages, until

finally little of the original remains. All Hindū schools of philosophy

acknowledge the supreme authority of the Vedas; but after this formal

acknowledgment is made, the intellect is allowed to range freely at its

will—to inquire, to judge, to speculate. Rigid as Hindūism is in its

social polity, it has ever left the human intellect free; in philosophy,

in metaphysic, it has ever realised that truth should be sought, and no

penalty inflicted on error; error being sufficiently penalised by the

fact that it _is_ error, and breeds misfortunes under natural laws. Even

to-day that ancient liberty is maintained, and a man may think and write

as he will provided that he follows in practise the social customs of

his caste. The Hindū divides all knowledge into two types—the supreme

and the lower. In the lower he places all his sacred books—following in

this the dictum of an Upanishad[5]—together with all other literature,

all science, all instruction; in the category of the supreme he places

only “the knowledge of Him by whom all else is known.” There you have

Hindūism in a nutshell. When once supreme knowledge has been attained and

illumination has been experienced, all Scriptures become useless. This

is asserted plainly and boldly in a well-known passage in the _Bhagavad

Gītā_: “All the Vedas are as useful to an enlightened Brāhmana as is a

tank in a place covered over with water.”[6] What need of a tank when

water is everywhere? What need of Scriptures when the man is enlightened?

Revelation is useless to the man to whom the Self is revealed.

In the early days of Buddhism the Vedas held high place, for the Lord

Buddha, as Dr. Rhys Davids says, “was born and brought up, and lived and

died a Hindū.”[7] But the charter of intellectual freedom for Buddhists

is contained in the wise advice of their Teacher: “Do not believe in a

thing said merely because it is said; nor in traditions because they have

been handed down from antiquity; nor in rumours, as such; nor in writings

by sages, merely because sages wrote them … nor on the mere authority of

your own teachers or masters. But we are to believe when the writing,

doctrine, or saying is corroborated by our own reason and consciousness.

For this I have taught you: not to believe merely because you have heard;

but when you believed of your own consciousness, then to act accordingly

and abundantly.”[8] Even revelation, for the Buddhist, must be brought to

the touchstone of reason and consciousness; there must be a response to

it from within, the interior witness of the Self, ere it can be accepted

as authoritative.

In the Christian and Muhammadan faiths—both largely influenced by

Judaism—the authoritative nature of revelation is carried further than in

any earlier faith. In modern days the yoke of a revealed Scripture has

been much lightened for Christianity by the growth of the critical spirit

and by the researches of scholars. The modern Christian student is little

more hampered by his revelation than is the Hindū by his. A conventional

reverence is yielded, a lifting of the hat, and then the student goes

freely on his way.

What is Revelation? It is a communication from a Being superior to

humanity of facts known to Himself, but unknown to those to whom He makes

the revelation—facts which they cannot reach by the exercise of the

powers that they have so far evolved. These facts can be verified at any

time by one who has climbed to the level of the Revealer, who may be an

Avatāra, a Rishi, a Founder of a religion. They “speak with authority,”

the authority of knowledge, the one authority to which all sane men

bow. We do not find that these great Beings wrote down Their teachings

Themselves; They taught, but They did not record. Some follower, some

disciple, it may be after the lapse of many years, even of centuries,

wrote down what he or his forefathers had heard; hence the revelation—and

to this rule there is probably no exception—is inevitably to some extent

coloured, narrowed, distorted by the transcriber. That which was heard

originally by those round the divine Teacher exists indeed in the

ākāshic records, and may ever be recovered thence by those who have

developed the inner senses by which those records may be read. In many

cases true records will have been made at the time by highly qualified

persons; but such precious books are kept securely in the custody of

their chosen guardians, in secret temples, in rock libraries, available

for the study of high Occultists, but of none other.

The Muhammadans would claim that in the case of their sacred book there

is more certainty that the very words of their Prophet were preserved.

And doubtless to this is due the overwhelming authority of _Al Qurān_ in

the minds of the faithful of Islām.

What should be the attitude of the Theosophical Student towards

revelation? He should treat the Scriptures of the world with reverence,

remembering their origin, but none of them with submission, remembering

that they are transmitted to him by varied channels. He should call to

his aid the best scholarship, should gain all the light he can from

archæological and historical researches, and use his best critical

judgment in separating the essential truth revealed from all the

accretions that may have grown up around it. If he has developed his

higher psychic qualities, he should try to trace and disentangle the

ancient from the modern, search the ākāshic records for comparison,

confirmation, or contradiction of the revelation as it has come into his

hands. How immense might be the services of such Theosophical Students as

they become more numerous and better equipped for this gigantic task. And

without this external equipment much may be done by inner unfoldment;

he may unfold within himself his own spiritual powers; he may seek in

profound meditation the truth which shines in the revelation beneath many

a veil of ignorance and misconstruction; he may so purify his life that

his bodies will become translucent of the light of the spirit within him,

will illumine the written words. “The things of God knoweth no man but

the Spirit of God.” But that Spirit dwells in every child of man; and

as His light shines out, the divine things are revealed to the pure in

heart. Until the inner Spirit thus responds to the revealed teachings

and statements, the Theosophical Student must hold his judgment in

suspense before the claims of any revelation. It is not true _for him_

until he can re-echo it in the voice of his own Spirit, his deepest Self.

Useful and beautiful it may be; worthy of profoundest study and reverent

research are the world’s Bibles. But until they are affirmed by the

Spirit within submission cannot be yielded, lest that should be given to

the errors of men which is due only to the divine Spirit.

What is Inspiration? The raising of the normal human faculties by some

extraneous influence through grade after grade of intellectual, moral,

and spiritual power, up to the point where the extraneous influence may

even expel the man from his body and use it for the expression of another

individual; where the new possessor is a Being at a height utterly

transcending man, inspiration may pass into revelation. Some may think

the word should be restricted to the raising of the powers of the subject

from above their normal capacity to the highest point of their possible

exercise, short of the expulsion of their owner and his replacement by

another individual greater than himself.

The lower grades of inspiration are within the experience of very many.

Have you never felt, when listening to a speaker whose knowledge and

power transcended your own, that your mental faculties were lifted to a

higher level than that to which you could rise unaided? On such occasions

you grasp questions that hitherto have eluded you; you see plainly, where

before there had been obscurity; the field of thought becomes illumined,

and objects are seen in hitherto undreamed-of relations—you feel that

you know. On the following day you desire to share with a friend the

treasures you acquired, and you begin to recount the luminous exposition,

to describe the great horizons which opened before you. You fail: where

is the light, where the far-off scenes over which your eyes had swept?

Your mind has sunk again to its normal level; the inspiration has passed

away. As with the intellectual, so with the moral faculties. You had seen

an unknown beauty, had felt an overwhelming admiration for the lofty

and the pure: what has become of the warmth, the ardour? Are the cold

ashes of the intellectual approval all that remains of the throbbing

heart, the passionate delight in the moral ideal? Why does it now look so

cold, so grey, so unattractive? You were raised to a higher level than

you can reach unassisted; but none the less has the moral ideal and its

power been shown to thee “in the Mount,” and the fact that you have once

experienced its all-compelling power will render you more susceptible to

it in the future, and the day will come when that which you felt when

inspired by another shall become the normal exercise of your own moral

faculties.

Coming to higher grades of inspiration, we may know, some of us, what it

is to stand in the presence of the Masters, and to feel the marvellous

uplift of Their presence. There is no need for words, no need for

teaching; Their presence is enough. From that presence we go out again

into the ordinary world, to feel the difference of its atmosphere from

that of the Holy One. But, _we have known_, and the memory remains an

abiding power.

Those who have written or spoken under inspiration have been thus

uplifted, their own intellectual and moral faculties have thus been

stimulated, and raised far above their normal level. It is still they who

write or speak, and their own characters and temperaments colour what

they say, leave their own impress on what they write. But they write and

speak far more nobly, far more powerfully than they could do unassisted.

And so we may rise from grade to grade of inspiration until we reach the

stage at which the mind and emotions of the man no longer sway his body,

but the body is wholly taken possession of and used by One greater than

himself. Then it is no longer the man himself who speaks, but “the Spirit

of” his “Father who speaketh in” him; his own limitations are struck

away, his own idiosyncrasies vanish, and the inspired utterances flow

forth unsullied. Then inspiration may range into revelation.

The process of all this is a very simple one. We know that by the

correlation between changes in consciousness and vibrations of matter,

each change in consciousness is accompanied by a vibration of the matter

appropriated by the consciousness and forming its body; each vibration

of the matter of a body is accompanied by a change in the embodied

consciousness. Either one of the pair may be the initiator; the other

ever responds. When two or more people are together, one more evolved

than the other or others, the more evolved person, thinking, desiring,

acting, sets up in his own bodies, mental, astral, and physical, a series

of vibrations which corresponds to the changes in his consciousness;

these vibrations cause similar vibrations in the mental, astral, and

physical matter intervening between himself and the less advanced person

or persons present. These vibrations in the intervening matter cause

similar vibrations in the neighbouring body or bodies. These vibrations

are immediately answered by corresponding changes in the embodied

consciousness or consciousnesses, and the person or persons concerned,

thus placed _en rapport_ with one more advanced, think, desire, act on

a higher level than would be possible for them on their own initiative.

They are able to understand more keenly, to feel more warmly, to act more

nobly than they could do unassisted. When the stimulus is removed they

gradually sink back to their normal level, but memory is left, and they

remember that they “have known.” Moreover, it is more easy for them to

respond a second time, and so on and on, until they establish themselves

on the higher level permanently. Hence the value of companionship with

those more advanced than ourselves, of living “in their atmosphere.”

Words are not necessary; little speech may pass; but insensibly the

subtle body is tuned to a higher key, and only, perhaps, when the

companionship is interrupted do the younger become conscious of the

change which has thus been brought about by contact with the elder.

Similar results may be brought about by reading the writings of those

who are more evolved than we are. A similar series of changes is set up,

though less powerfully than by the living presence. Moreover, intent and

reverent study may attract the attention of the writer whether he be in

or out of the body, and may draw him to the student, and thus cause the

latter to be enveloped in his atmosphere quite as potently as though he

were physically present. Hence the value of reading noble literature:

we are keyed up to its level for the time, and such reading, steadily

persevered in, will lift us to a higher level and establish us thereon.

Hence the value of a brief reading before meditation, lifting us into

an air more favourable to the work of meditation than we can start from

unassisted. Hence the value also of “holy places” for such meditation,

places where the atmosphere is literally vibrating at a higher rate than

our own; and hence the advice so often given by the instructed, to keep,

if possible, a room or closet set apart for meditation, such a place soon

gaining an atmosphere purer and subtler than that of the surrounding

world. It is of little use for the theosophical student to be acquainted

with these laws if he does not utilise them to his own helping, and to

the helping of those around him.

What should be the attitude of the theosophical student towards the

inspired man or the inspired book? He should be receptive, stilling all

his normal vibrations so far as is possible, and opening his whole nature

to the impact and influx of the waves of vibration that pour forth upon

him. But his attitude should be more than receptive: he should gently

endeavour to attune himself and to co-operate with the inflowing waves.

He should try to strengthen the sympathetic vibrations, so that the

accompanying changes in consciousness may be as complete as possible. For

this he must pour out to the inspiring Object his love, his trust, his

complete confidence and self-surrender, for thus only can he attune his

bodies into sympathy with those of the Inspirer. He must, for the time,

empty himself of his own ideas, his own feelings, his own activities,

surrendering himself to reproduce, not to initiate. As the unruffled lake

can mirror the moon and the stars, but as that same lake rippled by a

passing breeze can yield only broken reflexions, so may the lower being,

steadying his mind, calming his desires, and imposing stillness on his

activities, reproduce within himself the image of the higher, so may the

disciples mirror the Master’s mind. And so, also, if his own thoughts

spring up, his own desires arise, will he have but broken reflexions,

dancing lights, that tell him nought.

If you are going to read one of the inspired books of the world—_The

Imitation of Christ_; _The Golden Verses_ of Pythagoras; _The Light on

the Paths_; _The Voice of the Silence_—it is well to preface the reading

with a prayer, if that be your habitual way of raising your consciousness

to its highest mood, or with the repetition of a mantra, or the soft

chanting of some familiar and beloved rhythm, in order to bring yourself

into a sympathetic condition. Then read a phrase, re-read, brood over it,

savour it mentally, suck out its essence, its life.

Thus shall your subtle body become, to some extent at least, attuned to

that of the inspired writer, and repeating his vibrations, shall set up

in your consciousness the corresponding changes. Priceless is the value

of inspired books: they are steps of a ladder set up between earth and

heaven, a veritable Jacob’s ladder, on which descend and ascend the

angels of God.

There remains a third class of books worthy of the attention of the

theosophical student, but towards which his attitude should be entirely

different from those which he adopts towards the revealed and the

inspired. These are books containing the observations of students more

advanced than himself, observations carried on upon planes above the

physical, observations made by students who are evolving in knowledge

of, and in power on, those planes, and have not yet reached the stature

of the Perfect Man. There are books such as _The Secret Doctrine and

Esoteric Buddhism_, written by disciples, which are not records of the

direct observations of students, but are rather transcriptions of the

teachings of Masters, into which errors may creep by misunderstandings

of those teachings. H. P. Blavatsky herself told us that there were

inevitably errors in _The Secret Doctrine_; and as we have in that

wonderful book her own descriptions of the pictures shown to her by her

Master, there is an opening for possible errors of observation: these are

probably not serious, as she was carefully overlooked and aided during

the writing. These two books stand apart from the bulk of our literature,

the Masters having been largely concerned in their production. The books

I have in mind are those written by disciples, using their own normal

faculties, faculties still in course of evolution; books relating chiefly

to the astral, mental, and buddhic planes, to the constitution of man,

to the past of individuals, nations, races, and worlds. We are gradually

accumulating a large amount of literature of this kind, a literature of

observations by students using superphysical faculties. With regard to

this, certain things need to be borne in mind.

First: the students in question are in course of evolution, and the

faculties of which they make use to-day, which have become their normal

faculties, are more developed and reach higher planes than those which

they used ten or fifteen years ago. Hence they see now very much more

than they saw then, both in quantity and quality, and this enlarged

sight must inevitably give reports differing in fulness from that of the

earlier and narrower vision.

Secondly: this greater fulness will change relative proportions and

perspective. A thing which seemed imposing and independent when seen

alone, may become subordinate and comparatively insignificant when seen

as a part of a larger whole. It may change form and colour, seen with

surroundings which become visible only when it is looked at with a higher

vision. That which was a globe, sailing through space, to the physical

eye, becomes the free end of a continuous body, materially attached to

the sun, when seen with superphysical sight. Was it false to describe it

a globe? Yes, and no.

It was and is a globe on the physical plane, answering to all that is

meant by a globe down here. In subtler regions it is not a globe, but a

body, the tip of which is a globe only to gross vision, vision to which

its continuation is invisible.

Thirdly: the keener vision detects intermediate stages before unseen, and

shows a series of changes between two which, to the less acute sight,

were in immediate sequence. Thus, in the earlier observations, it was

said that the ultimate physical atom broke up into astral matter. When

a similar phenomenon is studied twelve years later, it is seen that the

physical atom breaks up into an immense number of inconceivably minute

particles, and that these immediately group themselves into forty-nine

astral atoms, which may or may not, again, combine into astral molecules.

Again, a whirling wall was mentioned: keener vision sees no wall, but an

illusory enclosure, caused by rapid motion, like the fiery circle traced

by a whirling fire-tipped stick. So, in the continuous light of gas or

electricity, a whirling disk of black and white rays shows grey; put out

the lights, and let the darkness be rent by a lightning-flash, the disk

hangs motionless, every black and white ray distinct. Which is the true

observation? The eye in each case bears true witness to what it _sees_.

The different conditions impose upon it different visions.

Other differences also arise, but these may serve as samples. Are, then,

books relating to observations useless? They only become useless, even

mischievous, when the theosophical student treats them as revelations

or inspirations instead of as observations. Observation is the basis of

scientific knowledge; the correction of earlier observations by later

ones is the condition of scientific progress. The student of optics,

when confronted with the black-and-white rayed disk, the grey disk, the

whirling disk hanging motionless, does not conclude that the conflicting

observations make observations useless. He searches for and finds the

conditions of light, of the constitution of the eye, which explain the

equally true though contradictory reports. He submits the observations

to renewed experiment and to the scrutiny of reason, until from the

contradictions emerges the many-sided truth.

What should be the attitude of the theosophical student to books of

observations? To all such books you must take up the attitude of the

scientific student, not of the believer. You must bring to bear upon them

a bright intelligence, a keen mind, an eager intellect, a thoughtful

and critical reason. You must not accept as final, observations made by

other students, even though those students are using faculties which

you yourselves have not as yet developed. You should accept them only

for what they are—observations liable to modification, to correction,

to reviewal. You should hold them with a light grasp, as hypotheses

temporarily accepted until confirmed or negated by further observations,

including your own. If they illuminate obscurities, if they conduce

to sound morality, take them and use them; but never let them become

fetters to your mind, gaolers of your thought. Study these books, but do

not swallow them; understand them, but hold your judgment in suspense:

these books are useful servants but dangerous masters; they are to be

studied, not worshipped. Make your own opinions, do not borrow those of

others; do not be in such a hurry to know that you accept other people’s

knowledge, for ready-made opinions, like ready-made clothes, are neither

well-fitting nor becoming.

There is a dangerous tendency in the Theosophical Society to make books

of observations authoritative instead of using them as materials for

study. We must not add to the number of blind believers who already

exist, but to the number of sane and sober students, who patiently

form their own opinions and educate their own faculties. Use your own

judgment on every observation submitted to you; examine it as thoroughly

as possible; criticise it as fully as you can. It is a poor service you

do us when you turn students into popes, and, parrot-like, repeat as

authoritative, statements that you do not know to be true. Moreover,

blind belief is the road to equally blind scepticism: you place a

student on a pedestal and loudly proclaim him to be a prophet, despite

his protests; and then, when you find he has made some mistake, as he

warned you was likely, you turn round, pull him down, and trample on him.

You belabour him when you should belabour your own blindness, your own

stupidity, your own anxiety to believe.

Is it not time that we should cease to be children, and begin to be men

and women, realising the greatness of our opportunities and the smallness

of our achievements? It is not time to offer to Truth the homage of

study instead of that of blind credulity? Let us ever be ready to

correct a mistaken impression or an imperfect observation, to walk with

open eyes and mind alert, remembering that the best service to Truth is

examination. Truth is a sun, shining by its own light; once seen, it

cannot be rejected. “Let Truth and falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth

put to the worse in a fair encounter?”

FOOTNOTES

[1] I am told that these punishments are no longer used in English jails.

If that be so, a step has been made in advance.

[2] The _principle_ of reincarnation is accepted, in this sense, by many

Spiritualists, who deny that man returns to earth. With them another line

of argument would be followed to prove the necessity of reincarnation on

earth.

[3] See _The Science of the Emotions_, by Bhagavān Dās, Theosophical

Publishing Society.

[4] A Roman Catholic friend tells me that it is also used in cases of

great danger, and that a friend of hers was thrice raised by it from what

threatened to be a deathbed.

[5] _Mundakepanishat_, I. i. 5.

[6] _Loc. cit._, ii. 46.

[7] _Buddhism_, p. 116.

[8] _Kalama Sutta_ of the _Anguttara Nikaya_.

TOPICAL INDEX

THE CHANGING

WORLD

ANNIE BESANT

ARRANGED BY THE

CHICAGO LODGE, T.S.

FOR THE USE OF STUDENTS

THEOSOPHICAL BOOK CONCERN

26 Van Buren Street, CHICAGO

INDEX

Abbas Effendi, spiritual teacher and prophet, 150

Adept, mark of, 231

standard of, at Shamballah, 294, 295

(see Masters of Wisdom, also Manu).

Ākāshic records, contain original revelations, 321

Age, signs of closing, 3

in religion, 7-16

in science, 16-21

in art, 21-24

in social conditions, 27-46

transitional, 4, 5, 149, 150

signs of opening, in religion, 54-63

in science, 63-70

in art, 70-74

in social conditions, 75-102

America, social conditions in, 34, 35, 36

Ancient Wisdom, a great river, 285

truths of, Theosophy, 183

religion traced to universal, 190

Angels, and Archangels, 137, 191, 271

disappearance of the teaching, 271

Archaeology (see comparative Mythology), 113, 188, 189

Archangels (see Angels).

Aristotle, 107

Art, beauty a necessity, 21, 22

in India, 21, 22

imitative, not creative, 23

new, created by new senses, 70, 77

colour and sound, coloured sounds, 70, 72, 73

reaches out by emotion, 73

colour and emotion, sound and emotion, 70, 71, 72, 73

and Theosophy in the coming civilization, 200, 201, 202

restoration of, a necessity, 201

is beauty, not common place, 202

Artist, the, priest of the beautiful, 202

Aryan Race, fifth root race, 3

ideal type of, 116

to develop mind, 118

greatest development of mind, 118

sub-races of, 137, 138, 212, 213

fourth sub-race, emotional, 184

fifth sub-race, 214, 215

characteristics, 217, 218

dominant note, 184

selection of stock for and development of, 229, 230

Astral aura (see Aura).

Astral body of next race, 53, 54

organized under pressure of thought, 124

activity of its sense organs, 125

its senses and psychism, 125

and the pituitary body, 125

vibrations and emotions in, 167

organization of, 170, 172, 173, 174

and dreams, 175

unifying with physical, 176

false methods of organization, 177, 178

organized by meditation and purity of life, 178, 179

Astral colours (see Colours).

Astral senses, 51, 53, 57, 58, 59

effect of development, 60-63

builders of new art, 70, 73

methods of development (see astral body), 177-179

Atlantean Race, the fourth, predominant traits, 114, 211

source of the fifth root race, 115, 210

fourth sub-race of, the Toltec, 115

fifth sub-race of, the Semitic, 115, 230, 231

new root race, 115, 211

chosen from, 115, 211

developed mind, 211

Atlantis, continent of, 113

Atom and science in the West, 17

the chemical, our power of seeing, 64

experiments in seeing (see Clairvoyance), 64, 65

vibrations of, and consciousness of the Logos, 165

physical, earlier and later observations compared, 330

Atonement, vicarious, 148

Aura, colours of the astral, 166

colours of, and consciousness, 166

vibrations of, and consciousness, 167, 168

Australia, social condition in, 37-41

Avatāra, description of, 133, 134, 135

Aztecs (see Mythology), 113, 189

Bāb, messenger in Persia of coming Christ, 150

Baptism, a sacrament (see Sacraments), 266, 267

marked incoming of the Christ (see Christ), 306

Beauty, a necessity, 21, 22

human, finest type of, 116, 117

what it means, 201

theosophy teaches reverence for, 201

in ancient Greece, 193, 203

an essential part of utility, 224

Besant, Annie, joined Society in 1887, 228

facts re-communicated to her in 1895, 229

referred to as temporary personality, 258

her opponents, 259

and H. P. B., 290

her message to the T. S., 296

Bhagavad-Gītā, referred to, 279

quoted, 280, 282

on scriptures and the enlightened man, 319

Bibles, of the race, testimony of, 156, 157

Birmingham, 201

Blavatsky, H. P., practical proof of Brotherhood, 26, 27

on socialism, 44

and “The Secret Doctrine”, 209

referred to, 26, 227

disciple of Master M., 228

and inner side of T. S., 234

tribute to, on White Lotus Day, 1909, 282, 283, 284

her return, 286, 287

her endeavor frustrated, 288

a messenger of the Masters, 290

and Mrs. Besant, 290

and errors in secret Doctrine, 328

Bodies, evolution of, 49, 52, 54

the instruments of higher consciousness, 155

natural, triple differentiation, 162

spiritual and natural, 163

spiritual, 163

physical, organization of, 169, 170

subtle, organization of, 170

mental, organization of, 171

spiritual, organization of, 172

signs of organization of astral (see Telepathy, also Dreams), 173

astral, organization of, 170, 171, 172, 173

unifying physical and astral, 176

departments of man’s nature, 211

of sixth sub-race, 222

value of scientific way of dealing with (see Pituitary Body,

also Astral), 268

Body, human, of Jesus, 147

Books, and the Theosophical Student, 318

revealed, 321

inspired, 327

of observations, 328, 329, 330

when useless or mischievous, 331

Brotherhood, H. P. B.’s example of, 27

showing itself, 45

applied to social conditions, 75

not equality, 75, 76, 77

societies which recognize, 77

and reincarnation, 78, 79, 80

karma, 81

religion, 83, 84, 85

family and state, 78, 86, 87, 88

and education, 82, 89

capital punishment, 95

economics, 97, 98, 99, 100

politics, 101, 102

of religions, 237

mightiest thing in all the world, 242

chosen by Masters as our mark, 243

Bodhisattva, the supreme teacher, 137

manifests in every sub-race, 137

last manifestation as the Christ, 149

will again appear, 149

(see Hermes, Zarathustra, Orpheus)

Buddha, Wisdom-Truth.

spiritual man, 118

“The Enlightened”, 135

one in every Root race, 135

the, belongs to our race, 136

Gautama, last manifestation, 136

former manifestations in Aryan race, 136

passed on, Son united with Father, 142

Buddhi, qualities of, (see Christ), 241

Buddhism, revived in Ceylon, 236

Buddhists, their intellectual freedom, 319-320

Catholic Spirit, emotional temperament, 245

definition of, 252

its mind teachable, 253

Catholic Spirit, easily lead along path of Occultism, 253

and Mysticism, 253

type of, responds to idea of Masters, 254

and Occultism, 255-256

the Leadbeater question, 257-258

Chaldæa, 189

Christ, the time of birth (see Rome), 4, 5

“Jesus or Christ” (see Hibbert Journal), 10, 11, 147, 298, 299

type of spiritual man, 118

supreme teacher of fifth sub-race, 142, 143

the Divine Power, the Spirit of God, 147

signs of His coming, 148, 149

looked for by occult world, 151

shall we recognize Him, 151, 152, 153, 292

characteristics of, 152, 153

The Wisdom, 160

words of, 222

the Mystic, emblem of self-sacrifice, 238

showed new type to fifth sub-race, 241

will show qualities of Buddhi, 241

His reception and treatment, 288

“Christ in Modern Theology”, 299

time of His coming, 291

His powers, 303

unfolding of in Man, 305

and Jesus, relation between, 305

view taken of Him by occultists, 305

His incoming marked by Baptism (see Baptism), 306

the, who is He?, 307

the world teacher, 309

not Jesus, founder of Christianity, 312

not a unique manifestation, 313

will again be manifest, 313

Christos, office of, 143

the anointed one, 144

grade of initiation in Mysteries, 144, 307

Christian life, mystic, 148

_Christians Commonwealth_, 183

Christianity, early days of, 145

mysteries in, 145

and comparative Mythology, 189

keynote in, 193

mystical, spreading, 236

should give idea of self-sacrifice, 238

how to preserve it, 239, 240

and revealed Scriptures, 320

Church, the early, and the Gnostics, 145

the early, and the Mysteries, 263

Anglican, referred to, 272

Guilds of healing in, 273

must ever give sacraments, 277

Civilizations, of the past—perished, 27-28

of men, a succession is observed, 184

the coming prevailing mark spirituality, 184

and Brotherhood, 185

religion in coming, 184-185

Clairvoyance, under hypnotism (see Röntgen rays), 67, 57, 58

slight, seeing atom, 64

Aura, 165-166

Clairvoyant vision of sacrament, 269

Clement of Alexandria (see St. Clement)

Colour, new, given by new senses, 70

new, to indicate higher emotions, 70

Astral, seen by some painters (see Mortimer Menpes), 71

and sound, coloured sounds, 73

in Astral aura, 166

each religion has its, 192

Comparative Mythology (see Mythology)

Conscience must be enlightened, 13

and matter, development of, 52

human, 69, 74

and correspondences, 104

evolution of, three stages, 106-107

first dawn of, will to live, 109

second, of emotions, 110

third, power of mind, 110

coming type of, 118

mark of, in coming race, 119-120

higher, and flesh and alcohol, 124

unfoldment stimulated by meditation, 127, 176

purity, 178

of Logos, Great Beings in, 133

the larger, 155

and bodies, 155

higher, evidence of, 156-157

threefold division in man (see St. Paul), 159

waking the, 159-162

and form, relation between, 165

of Logos and atomic vibrations, 165

signs of unfolding, 172

man dominated by, 184

next principle to unfold, 184

unfolding taught in every religion, 191

and vibrations of matter, 325

Correspondences, principle of, 104

used by Mystics, 104

science, 104

Swedenborg, 104

theory of, used to explain past and forecast future, 104-107

and embryology, 106

in evolutionary stages, 106

Cortez, 189

Coulomb Plot, 283

Crime (see Penology)

Cromwell, Oliver, and Charles I. (see Puritan Spirit), 246

example of Puritan Mystic (see Reformation), 254

Damodar, tribute to, 286

his return, 289

Deduction in ancient philosophies, 107

and the science of mathematics, 107

characteristic of the Platonic method, 107

explains past and forecasts the future, 108, 110

used by Occult Science, 108

later stages of evolution traced by, 111

and reincarnation, 111

Desire and will, 161

determined by attractions outside (see Emotions), 161

Devāpi, sketch of, 227

Bodhisattva of the sixth race, 228

Devas, 137

drawn to altars of sacraments, 271

Dreams, physical, 175

show organization of Astral body, 175

Economics, conditions in England, 97, 98

in Australia, 99

and Brotherhood, 97, 98, 99, 100

problems solved by whom (see Social Conditions) (see Supply and

Demand), 100, 101

Education, and morals, 12

in the Old Testament, 14

and religion, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 86

social problems, 82, 86, 87, 88

Brotherhood, 82-89

in play, 88, 89

religious, in peril in England, 238

in India, influence, of Theos. Soc., 239

Egypt, ancient, compared with Southern Mexico, 113

Book of the Dead (see Comparative Mythology), 189

religious keynote, knowledge, 193

Emotions, colour and sound, 70, 71, 72

art reaches out by, 73

Wisdom-Love reflected as emotions, 109, 110

fourth root-race (see Atlantean), 114

root of, 161

science of (see Science of Emotions by Bhagavān Dās), 167, 168

dominant note of Keltic sub-race (see Aryan), 184

Epistles, the, deal with an indwelling Spirit (see Christ, also St.

Paul), 147, 304

Esoteric Buddhism and the Masters, 328, 329

Evolution, slow course of, 3

of Divine germ, 48, 49

of bodies and senses, 49

of new race, 114, 115, 116

of nervous system, 121

higher, and environments, 121

hastening, by meditation, 126, 127

of consciousness into Divine Man, 191

human not at the top of, 240

goal of, a manifest Divine humanity, 304

Fairbairn, Doctor, on “Christ in Modern Theology”, 299

issue not well taken, 300, 301

Garibaldi, referred to, 82

Gautama Buddha (see Bodhisattva), 141

Genius, 172

Germany attained national unity, 81

Glasgow, 201

Gnosis, ancient (see Theosophy), 185

Gnostics, necessary in Christian Church (see Origen), 145

Gnostic, heresy, 306

God, extra cosmic, 9

immanent, 10

spiritual knowledge of, how reached, 55

“The kingdom of God is within you”, 55

existence of, how demonstrated, 9, 55, 56, 57

manifesting triple nature (Trinity), 159

consciousness of, and vibration of atom, 165

unity of, taught in every religion, 190

in manifestation ever triple, 190

vast family of, 191

how we may help, to manifest, 294

Gospels, the, deal with an historical person (see Christ), 147, 304

Goths, 117, 214

Grail (see Holy Grail).

Greece, keynote of religion, beauty, 193

ancient, beauty in, 203

Haeckel, 113

Hebrew people, 211

and the Founder of Christianity, 303

Hermes, the Thrice Greatest (see Bodhisattva), 138

Hibbert Journal, article “Jesus or Christ”, 10, 11, 298, 299

“Christ in Modern Theology”, 299

Hierarchies, recognized by Masons and by Theosophists, 77

based on Brotherhood of Man, 78

of superhuman beings, rank in, 132

of spiritual intelligences, 191

not known to Protestants, 271

and apostolic succession, 272

Hindūism, a text book of, 83, 84

revived, 236

its two great teachings, 193, 238

and secular education, 238, 239

sacraments numerous in, 262

all great actions are sacramental, 274

and the Veda (see Veda), 318

in a nutshell, 319

and freedom of intellect, 318, 319

Historical sense in East and West contrasted, 139, 140

Holy Grail, legend of, the Mysteries and Yoga, 275

and the Ancient Path, 275

inner meaning, 276

connection with Christian Sacrament (see Sacraments), 277

Humanity, submerged classes of, 28, 29, 30

deterioration of physique, 32, 33

stunted and deformed (see Social Conditions), 201

Human nature changing, 43, 44, 80

changed by thought, 81

great ideals (see Mind), 82

Hypnotism used by physicians (see Science), 67

Hysteria, how produced (see Nervous System), 199

India, art in life of, 21, 22

social conditions in, 28, 29

Burmans, illustrate sense development, 50

music of, 72

the caste system, 79

religion of, 83, 84

Kashmir type of Aryan, 116, 117

false method of developing consciousness, 177, 178

the Yogi in, 199, 200

a mighty past and a mighty future, 212

White Lotus Day, memorial services in, 279

Induction and science, 107

limited to observed facts, 107

Initiates and inner revelation, 276

Initiations reflected in Mysteries, 143

of the Hierarchy, 144

Inspiration, what is it?, 322

and revelation, 322, 324

lower, within experience of many, 323

and the Masters, 324

in writing and speaking, 324

and true mediumship, 324

process of, simple, 325

through companionship, 326

through books, 326

Inspirational reading and meditation, 326

Inspired books, 327

men and books and the Theosophical student, 327

Intellectual growth, condition of, complete freedom, 301

and spiritual unfolding, 303

Intuition, above concrete mind, 290

light of spirit within, 289, 290

must be developed by Theosophists, 290

Iranians, 213

Ireland, people belong to fourth sub-race of Aryan, 212

kept apart, 213

Keltic race highly emotional, 184

Italy obtained national unity, 81, 82

Jesus, mysteries of (see St. Clement), 146

and Christ, 147

divinity of, 304

quoted, 304

and Christ, relation between, 305

to guard pure body for the Christ, 305

stepped out of body, 306

and Christ, view held in early Church, 307

the Master, guide of Christian Church, 310

still dwelling in human body, 310

possibility of personal relation with, 310

His work in the world, 312

Judge, W. Q., secession, 283

tribute to, on White Lotus Day, 1909, 285

Karma, and brotherhood, 81

human nature, 81

reincarnation, 81

law of, inviolable sequence, 81

law of, 221, 222

paid in this life (see Dr. Pascal), 281

belief in, 284

Keltic, fourth sub-race of the Aryan root-race, 140

Orpheus leader of (see Races, also Aryan), 140, 141

Kings, Moru and Devāpi (see Masters of Wisdom), 227

Law, universal, 191, 192

one eternal, taught by Christ and Buddha, 194

natural law does not change, 198, 199

Leadbeater, C. W. L., and the Catholic and Puritan spirit, 257

a transitory personality, 258

cause of great shaking of T. S., 260

Lemuria, lost continent of, 113

Lemurian, third root-race, characteristics of (see Races), 113

_Light of Asia_, 279

Lodge, Great, of the Masters, source of wisdom, 285

the, its messengers, 296

London, conditions of living in, 122, 123

life contrasted with country life, 123

Love, wisdom expresses itself as, 161

Mahdi, in Africa, 150

Man, divine, 45, 46

a spiritual intelligence, 48

the real spiritual individuality of, 163

dominated by consciousness, 184

spiritual, mark of, 118, 119

nature of, 211

can achieve all things, 204

is growing Godlike, 204

constitution of, and sacraments, 264, 265

body of, and Protestantism, 265

the spiritual, will know spiritual men, 292

God in, help the God to manifest, 294

a spiritual being in whom Divine Spirit will unfold, 302

spiritual nature to unfold along three lines, 302

Manchester, 201

Mantra, words of Power, 267, 268, 269

and experiments of Tyndall, 267

sound as used in, 267

use of, in Greek Church, 268

Manu, the thinker, 210

evolves race, 210

chooses type, 211

guide of root-race, 229

type of race, 229

of fifth root-race, his work, 229, 230

Masons, fraternity of, 77

Masters of Wisdom, 180

their teachings withdrawn, 148

Brotherhood of Teachers, 187

preside over human evolution, 192

two related to Theos. Soc., 226, 227

Kings, Moru and Devāpi, 227

and their pupils, 256, 257

quoted, “the standard of the adept”, 294, 295

how to know a Master, 293

their way of working in world, 311

the uplift of their presence, 324

and inspiration, 324

_The Secret Doctrine_, 328, 329

_Esoteric Buddhism_, 328, 329

Matter appropriated by spirit, 164

Deity manifest in, 164

spirit master of, 165

and spirit, relation between, 165

power over, 68, 69, 168, 169

vibrations of, and consciousness, 325

Mazzini, 221

Medicine, deadlock in, 19, 20, 21

hypnotism and clairvoyance used by physicians, 67

and vivisection (see Clairvoyance), 67

power of mind in treatment of disease, 68

Meditation, concentrated thinking, 58

artificially awakens senses, 59, 60

quickens evolution, 126, 127

three stages of, 127

stimulates unfolding consciousness, 127

develops instrument used in unfolding consciousness, 176

used for organization of finer bodies, 199

and inspiration, 326

Menpes, Mortimer, description of painting, 71

Mexico, 189

Mill, J. S., 240

Miller, Dr., 238

Mind, creates and restores, 68

supremacy over matter, 68, 69

characteristic of Teutonic sub-race (see Aryan), 118

Moral Educational Congress, 238

Moru, sketch of life, 227

letter quoted, 227, 228

Manu of sixth root-race, 228

co-operates with Manu of fifth root-race, 233

has begun His work, keynote brotherhood, 233, 234

Music, the new, 72

of India, 72

Russia, 73

every religion has note of its own, 192

Myer’s book on Human Personality, 175

Mysteries, Orphic, 140, 141

Greek thought in, 143

Christos, grade of, 143

reflexions of initiations, 143, 144

of Jesus (see St. Clement of Alexandria), 146

of Kingdom of God, 146

in early church, 263

followed by legend of the Holy Grail, 275

of Jesus took place of Yoga in Hindūism, 275

Mysticism and Puritan and Catholic spirit, 253

Mystic Puritan, example in Cromwell, 254

Mythology, comparative, 8, 188, 189

and dogmatic Christianity, 189

comparative religion, 190

Nerves, sensory and motor, 169

Nervous system, of fourth and fifth races compared, 52

increase of nervous diseases, 53

of sixth sub-race, 53, 222, 223

evolved according to law, 60

changing type unstable, 120

greater tension causes madness (see Psychology), 121

its finer evolution, conditions impossible, 121

delicate type of, 121, 122

in coming race, 121, 122, 123

flesh food unsuited to finer type, 124

of Chinese and Japanese compared with Aryan, 222, 223

Nineveh, 189

Observation, basis of scientific knowledge, 331

Occultism and the Catholic spirit, 253

in the church, 263

Occultist, possibility of, in Catholic type, 254, 255

not found in Puritan type, 255

must be willing to learn by experience, 256

develops faculties in doing Master’s will, 256, 257

and the mantra, 267

records of revelations accessible to him only, 321

Olcott, Col. H. S., referred to as founder of T. S., 228

the President Founder, tribute to, 282

Old Testament in education, 14

Origen’s writings, 145, 146, 147

Orpheus, leader of fourth sub-race (see Bodhisattva), 140, 141

Parsīs, 213

Pascal, Doctor, tribute to, 281

Path, the, 275, 276, 277

Penology, criminal population, 33, 34

criminals and their treatment, 89-91

habitual criminals, 92

probation system, 94, 95

capital punishment, 95, 96

criminal of lopsided development, 91

prison labor, 92, 93

Periods, the present a transitional, 4, 5

related to Mighty Beings, 133, 134

four great world, 133

Persia, keynote of religion purity, 193

Persians, 212

Philosophy, Hindū, and the Vedas, 318

Pituitary Body, use of, development of, 125

affected by flesh and alcohol, 125, 126, 197, 198

connecting link between grosser and finer senses, 51, 196

Plato, his philosophy, 107

Politics, liberty and the franchise, 101

class legislation in England, 101

liberty, 101, 102

freedom and self-control, 102

Protestant, knows nothing of hierarchy, 271

Protestantism, its attitude towards physical body, 265

and materialism, 265

recognizes two sacraments only, 272

Psychic, low grade of intelligence in undeveloped, 115

qualities developed before lower mind, 230

Psychism, powers of, where found, 114

higher, how produced (see Astral Body), 125

Psychology, new, the, 18, 19

range of possibilities (see Nervous System), 69, 70

soul in relation to spirit (see Soul), 160

Purānas, 226, 227

Puritan Spirit and intellectual temperament, 245

value of, 245, 246

in reign of Charles First and Cromwell, 246

Charles Second, 246

description of, 247, 248

outburst of, necessary, 248

and intellectual development of man, 249

growth of, and loss of the spiritual, 250, 251

in Theosophical Society, 251, 252

and lofty form of Mysticism, 253, 254

Occultism, 255-257

the Leadbeater question, 257, 258

Races, root and sub, 1, 2

religion of, 235

and senses, 49, 50

choice of new, 210

fourth and sixth, closely interlinked, 213

Lemurian, dominant characteristics of, 113

Atlantean (see also Atlantean), 113

passion and lower psychism of, 114

characteristics of Semitic sub-race, 115, 230

highest civilization in Toltec, 115, 230

Aryan (see also Aryan), 3

source of, 229, 230

second sub, Hermes leader of, 138

third sub, Zarathustra leader of, 140

fourth sub, Orpheus leader of, 140, 141

interlinked with sixth sub, 213

reached its zenith, 214

fifth sub, the Christ leader of, 142, 143

characteristics of, 151, 152

sixth sub, physical characteristics, 53, 222

mental and emotional characteristics, 152, 154, 232

general characteristics, 215, 216, 217

interlinked with fourth sub, 213

candidature for, 222

the coming, source of, 215

type of, 117-119

body of, 120-121

consciousness of, 119-120

preparation for, 127-130

religion and civilization of, 130, 131

candidature for, 215

Reason, irrational or enlightened, 13

unstable condition of, 120

and madness, 121

the pure and compassionate, the Wisdom, the Christ in man, 160

the pure and compassionate, shows itself in lower world as love, 161

Reflexion, principle of, 108, 109, 110

of the Great Will, 109

Wisdom Love, 110

Creative Spirit, 110

the law of, and correspondences, 110

Reformation, the, 250

reaction from the (see Puritan Spirit, also Cromwell), 263

the, and Occult mantras, 268

Reincarnation and brotherhood, 78-80

karma, 81

necessary to theory of reflexions, 111, 112

and unfolding consciousness, 191

the fact widely accepted, 237

belief in, 284

Religion, difficulties of, in the west, 6-9

and education, 12-16, 86, 238, 239

brotherhood, 83, 237

a search after God, 55

in India (see also India), 83, 84

universal text book of, 85, 86

great teachers of, their spiritual qualities, 118

coming race builder of a universal, 130

founders of, 187

and disciples, 263

source of great spiritual impulses, 187, 188

comparative (see Ancient Wisdom), 190

doctrines taught by every, 190-192

each, has its note and colour, 192

in Egypt, India, Persia, Greece, Rome, 193

each sub-race has a special, 235

of the future, 235-236

Christian Church broadening, 236

mystical Christianity spreading, 237

problem of, 265

Protestantism and the body, 265

spirituality and the lower world, 266

all recognize a great world teacher, 308, 309

draw together in the Supreme Teacher, 312

Revelation and the Self, 319

Buddhist, 319

authoritative nature of, in Christian and Muhammadan faiths, 320

defined, 320

source, 320

method of recording, 320

attitude of Theosophical student toward, 321

must be affirmed by the Spirit within, 322

Roberts, Dr. (see Hibbert Journal), 298, 299

view not sound and why, 299, 300, 301

Rome, closing age of, 4, 5

social conditions, 27

mighty, 214

religious note of, law, 193

Roman, type of, and Goth, 117

Roman Catholic Church and higher criticism, 7

Ireland, 214

the mystic spirit in, 236

attitude toward Theosophy, 263

use of mantra in, 268, 269

Sacrament of Holy Orders in, 272

use of sacramental oil, 273-274

reference to its Priesthood, 263

Röntgen rays (see Clairvoyance), 67

Sacraments, found in all great religions, 262

their object, 262, 266

in Hindūism, 262, 274

Roman Catholic Church, 263

definition of, 264

and constitution of man, 264, 265

Baptism, 266, 267

Holy Communion, 269

transubstantiation explained, 269, 270

from material standpoint, 270, 271

and materialism, 271

and Apostolic Succession, 272

Confirmation, 273

Penance, 273

Matrimony, 273

Extreme Unction, 273

and daily life, 274

must be given by church, 277

Sacrifice and discipleship (see Self-sacrifice), 179, 180

Saint, where found, definition of, 274

his Master and himself as disciple, 311

Saint Clement of Alexandria, writings, 145

“Mysteries of Jesus”, 146

St. Paul, writings on the Mystic Christ, 147

nature of man, 157, 158

soul, 160

definition of man, 162

birth of Divine Spirit in the Soul, 304, 305

Schuré, writings on mystical idea in Wagner (see Grail), 275

Science, in west, 17, 18

and ether, etheric sight, 63, 64, 65

chemistry founded on direct observation, 66

bounds of, extended, 66

hypnotism and clairvoyance used by physicians, 67

direct vision and vivisection, 67

geology and evolution, 106

and principle of correspondences, 104, 105, 106

induction and deduction, 107, 108, 110, 112

deduction and reincarnation, 111

in coming civilization, 194, 195

and Theosophy in coming civilization, 195, 196

_Science of the Emotions_, by Bhagavān Dās, 168

Scientific observation, 17, 18, 63, 331

progress depends on correct observation, 331

Scriptures, authoritative, back of all great religions, 318

and the enlightened man, 319

revealed, in Christianity, 320

_Secret Doctrine, The_, by H. P. Blavatsky, 209

possibility of errors in, 328

record of teachings of Masters, 328, 329

Self-sacrifice, keynote in Christianity, 193

and social redemption, 203

the basis of the coming civilization, 204

religion and civilization, 205

Senses, evolution of, in races, 49, 50, 51

new organs of, in sixth sub-race, 51, 53, 57, 58

artificially awakened by meditation, 59, 178, 179

astral, effect of development, 60-63

new, builders of new art, 70, 73

Sex-inferiority (see Woman Labor), 11

Sheffield, description of, 200

Sir William Crookes, on vibrations, 63

Social conditions, present, intolerable, 26

contrast of luxury and misery, 27

submerged classes, 28, 29, 30

physique, its deterioration, 32, 33, 201

multiplication of criminal population, 33, 34

in America, 34, 35, 36

Australia, 37-41

unemployed, 39, 40

trades unions in Melbourne, 41

competition replaced by co-operation, 42

woman labor, 29, 30, 31, 99, 100

Socialism, H. P. B. on, 44

Society and Theosophy, in coming civilization, 203

its redemption through self-sacrifice, 203

Soul, difference in age, the caste system, 79

the old and the young, 79, 80, 89, 90

lopsided development, 91

the young, its treatment, 92, 93

in relation to spirit, 160, 161

represented by three attributes, 161, 162

in temporary body, changed, 163

Sound, the music of the future, 72

and colour and emotion (see Senses, Vibration, Mantra, Tyndall), 73

Spirit only can know Him, 55

God in innermost depths of, 56

architect of human body, 74

higher qualities of, for coming race, 119

of the Christ, develop in yourselves, 154

definition of, 159

triple nature of, 159

in relation to soul, 158-160

spiritual body, 163

becoming master of matter, 164

and matter, relation between, 165

in man unfolds along three great lines, 302

Spiritual realities belong to spiritual life, 54

qualities of Great Teachers, 118, 119

type of humanity, mark Brotherhood, 119

body relatively permanent, 163

and memories of past, 163

greatness and the Theosophical Soc., 291

work of the spiritual teacher, 302

teacher sheds illumination, not control intellect, 303

Spirituality mark of coming civilization, 184

Subba Rao, tribute to, 287

Submerged classes (see Social Conditions).

Sun Myths, 141

Superstition, definition, 249

illustrated by Indian story, 249, 250

in religious reformations, 250

Supply and demand in America, 34-37, 41

Melbourne, 41

Swedenborg, 104

Telepathy and organization of the Astral body, 173

how developed (see Senses), 173, 174

Theosophy, name, 183

what is it? Whence does it come?, 185, 186, 187

its work in religion, 188

and comparative mythology, 189

religion, 190

work of, in coming civilization, in religion, 194

science, 195

and Yoga of the East, 199, 200

work of, in coming civilization, in art, 200, 201, 202

society, 203

its ideals in education must spread, 238

influence on education in India, 239

ideals rejected by men, 242

must teach relationship of disciple to Teacher, 312

Theosophical Society, considers causes rather than effects, 25

teaching of, its advantage, 48, 209

its members at different stages, 225

drawn into swifter evolution, 225

two masters related to, 226

founders of, 227

inner purpose of, 228

brotherhood, only binding principle, 233, 234

and scientific men, 232

corner-stone of future religion, 234

first work of, vitalising Religions, 235, 236

checked skepticism in India, 239

problem, how to preserve religion while letting dogmatism go, 239-240

personality and principle in, 225, 243, 258

nucleus of sixth root-race, beginning of sixth sub-race, 225, 242

members not leaders of present race, 242

shakings in, their use, 243, 260, 287, 295

duties of, in respect to sacramental rites, 277, 278

not bound by its officers, 244

reasons for staying in, 258, 261, 295

possibility of its death, 261

Theosophical movement not confined to, 285

its great difficulty, 287, 288

immediate work, 288, 289

members of must develop intuition, 290

must recognize spiritual greatness, 291

would hardly welcome a Master, 294

the John the Baptist to prepare the way for the Christ, 295

Mrs. Besant’s message to, 296

should use books of observation as materials for study only, 332

Theos. student should prepare to verify teachings, 317

his attitude towards theoretical study, 317

must discriminate between books he reads, 318

his attitude towards books of observations, 328

Thought and the treatment of diseases, 68

human nature changed by, 81, 82

and organization of the Astral body (see Mind), 124

forms, 255

Thought-image first, then its materialization, 46

Transition periods, birth of Christ, (see Rome), 4, 5

the present, 4, 149-150

Transubstantiation (see Sacraments), 269, 270

Trinity (see God), illustrated by organic chemistry, 270

Truth, a sun, 332

examination of, is best service, 333

Tyndall, experiments of (see Mantra), 267

Type, ideal, of the Aryan, 116

of future nations, that of family, 46

in mind of Logos, 116

Roman, 117

chosen by Manu, 115, 211

intellectual, its work, 117, 118

of coming race, 117, 119

of spiritual man, 118, 119

with delicate, highly developed nerves, 120-122

of bodies of coming race, 222

of new Teacher a new departure, 240

next, new and strange, 240, 241

Types, seven great human, 116

reproduce themselves, 117

Veda, meaning of word, 318

supreme authority of, 318

held high place in early days of Buddhism, 319

Vegetarianism, flesh food unsuited to coming race, 124

and Pituitary Body, 125, 126

pure body needed for unfolding consciousness, 178

Vibrations, sound, in words of power (see Mantra), 267

effect of, on consciousness of bodies, 168, 169

of atoms and consciousness of Logos, 165

Vicarious atonement, 148

Vivisection, a fatal road, 19, 20

done away with by direct vision, 67

White Lotus Day 1909, memorial services in India, 279

all over the world, 280

Will, self determined, 161

and desire, 161

highest characteristic of Spirit, 302

must be developed from above, 302

Wisdom, the, the Christ in man (see Ancient Wisdom), 160

expresses itself as love, 161

Woman, in labor market, 99, 100

Woman labor, (see social conditions), 29, 30, 31

Worlds, and human evolution, 191

Yoga, false methods of developing consciousness (see Meditation),

177, 178

Theosophy brings Yoga of East, 199, 200

the Mysteries and legend of Holy Grail (see Holy Grail), 275

Yogi, the Indian, 199, 200

Zarathustra or Zoroaster, leader of third sub-race (see

Bodhisattva), 140

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The changing world, and lectures to theosophical students. Fifteen lectures delivered in London during May, June, and July, 1909 · 第 7 / 7 章

So far as I can gather from what he says, he does not regard the Christ