THE STAR IN THE EAST

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2153, 20 May 1914, Page 9

THE STAR IN THE EAST

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —I took no exception to tlic mention of my liamo by tiie Rev. Mr. Sola, nor did I for one moment think there was anything personal in it, and unless tho reverend gentleman adopts different tactics, i.e., goes to hear a thcosophieal lecture,- instead of taking the reports of other people as to what is taught, we are never likely to know each other personajly. A person may belong to any religion, and also be a Theosophist. Theosophy does teach that Christ is tho ono and only way to .tho Father—that is the universal Christ spirit inherent in, arid flowing over • from, the second aspect of God—the second Person in the Tnnity j -but, no! it does not teach that Jesus Christ mado the ono and only sacrifice for tho sins of tho whole world. That is a narrow expression of tho grand religion of Christendom, and wero 1, as a Teosophical lecturer, to give out that and tho next eight lines of his letter, lrom our platform as Christianity, I should have indignant Christians rising and objecting to it as a misrepresentation of the Christian teaching of to-day. Tho Gnostic Christians were tho knowers, those who by study and experiment had "proved all things," or were engaged in proving all things, and had proved many. Yes, some Tlieosophists are Gnostics, and many are becoming. Gnostics; and surely Mr. Sola knows that tho word heresies in thoso' days did not mean errors, but only : schools of thought. Please remember that. Theosophy makes a clear distinction between tho universal or Cosmic Christ, and tho Great World Teacher in Whom, while wearing a human body, a greater portion of that Christ spirit shines forth than in any other; and if present-day Christianity has lost that knowledge, and with it all tho beauty of tho_ mysteries of Jesus, then so much tho worse for present-day Christianity, I and when those who look to it for help come to tho point whero naught hut its I old forgotteu teachings' can satisfy the soul's hunger, then it is to us they will come, and not to their clergymen. It isl so to-day with hundreds, and this is tho real reason of the present attacks upon tho Theosophical Society. | "A devoted and selfless movement" could not persecute; a. movement which persecuted is selfish, seeks its own at tho expense of the reputation and tho lifo of other movements, therefore I again repeat that in saying the Theosophical Society has started rival schools with tho deliberate intention of ruining Christian schools, he has said it is not selfless, but abominably selfish, and. Mr. Sola has proved Miss M'Neile's words to be untrue. Moreover, ho is begging tho question when ho drags in tho nameß of persons. A person may belong to a selfless movqhient, and yet ho so nar-row-and .bigoted that ho will persecute and slander, and so injure his own cause and make it a by-word. Canon Robinson hat mado rather foolish statements in his preface to Miss pamphlet, and-I am sure that he will realist) the fact before - long. Thousands, for instance, visit the Theosophical headquarters every year, and 'they come-from all'over the world, live and work ,in India with Mrs. Bosant, and go out among the Indians, as I myself did, and more every year go to ;and fro between India and Britain, and '.are proud in returning to the latter to call themselves Theosophists. Why did 'liot Canon, Robinson explain that it was from Roman Catholic Christians that Miss M'Neile. got her explanation of jTh'eosophy. The'R.C. is but one section;of tho Christian, . Church, and its opinions are not usually so eagerly seized •upon and quoted by the .Acglical body, j In conchisioij,' "X" givie,|.:Mro-:.-Sqla tint 'answer to his' challenge one of the many ipassages from an "accredited theosoilihic teacher" that Christ is tho ono and iohlj' way to tlio Father* "Beautiful ..and gracious, provocative : of intensest lovo and deepest devotion, is .tho supremo figure of tlio Christ in history, in whom 'wo see God made manifest, in man. But half of its valuo .to you -will bo lost, unless it stirs you to aspiration, unless it makes you that : which you auorc in Him. For in you also tho lower self must bo crucified, in you, also,, tho higher self must rise triumphant .... and just in proportion as'that lesson is learned, just in proportion as within ourselves we develop in ono lower naturo a faint reflection of tho beauty of the Christ, so shall the day come nearer when He Himself shall be born in us, and -wo shall realise better tho Christ without, because tho Christ within answers, to His call.". (Annie Besant in her book "Suporhuman Men," page 75.) Read also her "Esoteric Christianity," pp. 140-144, and, in common justice, read also Mr. Johan Van Manen's -answer to the attack mado upon tho Theosophical Society, and its loaders, - and endorsed by tho Bishop of Madras and seven missionaries—a slanderous, disgraceful attack of which some day I liopo they will havo tho decency to bo utterly. ashamed. Mr. Van Manen's answer can be obtained, at the Theosophical Society,' Ballance Street.—l am, etc., CATHERINE W. CHRISTIE.

Sir,—lour correspondent Mr. Kelly is lor several reasons ono whom I. consider as a rulo quite unworthy of my steel, and my . only reason for answering him this.once is that some people do not know of his voluminous writings Upon tho above subjcct may think his present letter unanswerable, and may be prejudiced against tho Ordei of the Star in tho My reasons oi refusing to continuo a correspondonce with him are:

(1) Ho is apparently quite unablo to soo tho beauty of an Order which makes individual "devotion, steadfastness, and gentleness the only qualifications nccessary for membership in it, so as ito prepare for tho coming of a great ioacher, and which therefore shuts out no religion, nor the members of any. tho fact that ho could not reconcile tho abovo with his conception of Christianity, which ho says includes an expectation of the early coming of Christ to take up His earthly Kingdom, is certainly 110 fault of the Order, its printed principles are clear and definite enough. (2) iSofc being ablo to soo tb© beauty of thus, upon a broad platform, preparing the way for the-Teacher, he invariably fastens upon any scandal, or to quote Miss Al'Neile, "unsavoury" or impure suggestions mado by its enemies, and flood tho newspapers with them. These aro tho things ho sees while tho Order recommends as good preparation for tho coming, a habit of seeing tho good in all, so that when Ho comes wo shall know Him; and meantime arc increasing tho amount of good in tho world and so, crowding Qut tho. evil.

(3) Tho fact that Mr. Kelly joined tlio Order under a misconception,, and (lid so of his own free will and accord, and that no olio wished him to remain in it when ho found, as lie must liavo done, that its atmosphere did not suit liim, does not justify him in his repeated attacks upon its leaders, and as he says ho is « Christian I remind him that ho is fulfilling prophecy in so persecuting. John xvi, v. 20 and 21st. "Tho servant is not greater than tho Lord. If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you. . . . 21st. ])ut all tlieso things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not liini that sent mo." Yes, all religions liavo a portion of tho truth, and the World-Teacher will, I believe, unite them all in a brotherhood or religions, in which only tho good—that is the true, will bo emphasised, tlio evil being thus crowded out. As for Antichrist —ho is no bogey to me: I lovo and trust Christ, and my love and worship will reach Him through a whole regiment of . antichrists, though they should stand between Him and me. Should I bo deceived in a person, even that would not harm me, but should I

turn in anger upon tho person I think has doaoivccl me, and Tend him, then lliv own ovil passion and evil speaking would harm me greatly, and 1 should inevitably, reap what 1 had sown. I leavo for Christchurch to-morrow, and should you allow the correspondency on th's subject to continue 1 will with pleasure do my share for any Writers save "Wairima" and Mr. Kelly. —71. am, etc., CATHERINE \V. CHRISTIE. [This correspondence is now closed.]