TREOSOPHY AND CHRISTIANITY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20094, 25 November 1930, Page 15

TREOSOPHY AND CHRISTIANITY.

TO THE SfifXQR 07 T|IS PRESS. Sir, —On reading the Vpn. Arch? deacon Taylor's reply to my letter in the germon he delivered in his own church last Sunday night, I find in it a few statements which need answering; but without any wish to induce him to break his resolution not to enter into further Press correspondence. I also wish it to be understood that I am not writing on behalf of any Society, but pimply expressing my own views. First of all, we are told that Theosophy ip not only lin-Ohristian but anti-Christian, it wa? also J 1 ?." Christian once to pay that the eartn rpund, that the earth goes round the sun, to support Darwin._ In_ ract, science itself was once snti-Christxan, and by the Fijle of analogy would it be wrong to think it probable that the teachings of Theosophy will some day be even preached from Christian pulpits? We are living in a ■vrorld where the value of everything alters almost daily. We are told that reincarnation waß incompatible With Christianity. Biit why? Does not reincarnation explain the seeming anomalies and injustices of some beinga born rich, clpvpr, strong, healthy, virtuous, for no merit 'of their own, while others are born criminal, unfit for the struggle of life, and deprived of their social Conditions even of those things which are recognised as indispensable to human existence? Also we are told that there is nothing in Christianity veiled in mystery. What about death! This is still a mystery, and the P°urce of fear to the orthodox Christian. The Archdeacon seems to bemoan the fact that there will always be new movements to add themselves to the many already existing! Why is he afraid? Should they be wrong they will not stand the test of time and criticism, which is the inexorable fate of everything not founded on truth. Sq why trouble? But if they happen to be "the instrument or the expression of a new keynote of some higher force, which demands recognition, would not a sympathetic attitude be the correct one?

As to the Theosophieai Society b£coming a sect, X will not deny the possibility of such a thing happening, "but I can only express my honest wish ami hope that this fate will be spared to a Society which has been a great help to me and to thousands of others, *»S sectarianism has been nothing but a hindrance to human progress. —Yours, 6te " H. CGLONNA. November 24th, 1990. •to TfLB bbitop p» W P»'!?g gjr,—4s reincarnation 'was reterred to a few days ago by one of your clerical corraiapotidenta, 1 trust ?ou will

allow me a little of yotir valued space to make a fow comments thsnson ' A belief in this oxooedingly illununatina theory of life is wot up,nf a Bibiieni baeis, but it i« >ntorCEtiiig to discover a number of Scripm kf.-epnig with the idea of spiritual 01 UV' notice fxrtJt; an exceedingly explicit prophecy, by T JilS authentic prophet. Behold, I wilj send you Elijah the Prophet before coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." (Malach', IV., 5.) Naturally we look for a fulfilment ot tiiia prophecy, and for this we have confirmation fr«in no less an authority than the Christ Himself who in referring to, John the Baptist ma-le use of these words: "And if ye will receive it this ia Elias. winch wap tor to come. He that hath ears to hew. let him hear." (Matthey 11.. 14, lo.^ That a tuelief m feincarnatjon was rfi-v largely taken for granted in the early days of Christianity is evidenced bv the following quotation : "Whpm do men «ay that f, the Son of Man.,am P And thev spid. Soine say that Thou art John the" Baptist som,p 'Julias," ancj others .Jeremiiis or one of the Pro phots," Apparently even our Lord's immediate Oipciplep subscribed to the ifle:> when they asked ; "Did this man sin. or his parents, that he was born blind?" Here we hare'twq questions in «>ne: "'Did this man sin 'i.e-, before he was borii this tinie) that lie was horn Wind?' or "Did hi« parents sin that he w,'i« !orn blind?'' Christ in answering the question apparently acquiesced in the reasonableness of it. rspudigtinK neither the of gyistepce" ' nor ''hfirefjity. That Fjjinss'rnation is rminsble propels is in<iic;iied iij Reve--1 ctian 3. 1? : "{Tim that overcorrieth will I make a pillar irj' the' temple of my fiiod; and hj« shall go no mgre out." —Yonrs, etc., S&tcßlbev 24tbV I&3Q-