1921
Theosophical Lecturer Tells of Scramble to Identify Mysterious Force
Eugene W. Munson, of the National Theosophical Society, lectured on theosophy in the auditorium of the City Library Monday night. Weather conditions prevented a very large attendance.
Mr. Munson spoke on "The Hidden Side of Things." For several years he has been traveling in the United States. His lecture tonight will be illustrated with slides.
"The search today for that mysterious energy back of living forms is a scramble. Practically all schools of modern science and philosophy are in the hunt. And these schools have given the thing for which they are searching a name. Science calls it energy. New Thought calls it Mind, Spiritualists say it is the spirit, psychologists call in the subconscious mind, and Christian Scientists call it Divine Mind. Theosophists agree with all of them. We see a grand scheme of evolution in which Divine Life, manifesting as the sons of God, wells up through myriads of forms with its outward going energy. This intangible potency, eternal mystery, or indwelling life is the thing for which men search."
Mr. Munson said that the method by which this "Spirit" contracted matter was complex and worthy of considerable study. He told and illustrated how vibrations tended to run up and down the scale, reflecting into the higher as well as the lower forms.
—The Capital Times, Madison, Wisconsin, Oct. 11, 1921, p. 3.
Showing posts with label theosophy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theosophy. Show all posts
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Theosophic Philosophy — Experiences are Lessons
1918
Theosophic Philosophy
Here is a bit of theosophic philosophy from the Theosophical Path, official magazine of the oriental cult or religion:
"Another important element in the production of a state of tranquility is a firm, and constant belief in the efficacy of right motive. A Theosophist believes that good, pure, true thoughts are real powers that must yield their results in peace and harmony; in either words he has faith and believes that it is worth while to follow conscience, for conscience is an inner guide working for our welfare. By accepting and studying the law of karma, he soon learns to perceive its working in his own life and those of his companions; and thus his faith is gradually turned to knowledge. And so he is no longer at odds with destiny, like so many who have no true philosophy of life; for he begins to realize that man makes his own destiny, and that the soul, or real man within, decrees whatever fate is best suited to the real needs of the individual. We must all pass through experiences pleasurable and painful, but our happiness depends on our attitude toward them; and if, instead of resenting unpleasant circumstances, we accept them as necessary lessons, we can thereby convert them into advantages."
Theosophic Philosophy
Here is a bit of theosophic philosophy from the Theosophical Path, official magazine of the oriental cult or religion:
"Another important element in the production of a state of tranquility is a firm, and constant belief in the efficacy of right motive. A Theosophist believes that good, pure, true thoughts are real powers that must yield their results in peace and harmony; in either words he has faith and believes that it is worth while to follow conscience, for conscience is an inner guide working for our welfare. By accepting and studying the law of karma, he soon learns to perceive its working in his own life and those of his companions; and thus his faith is gradually turned to knowledge. And so he is no longer at odds with destiny, like so many who have no true philosophy of life; for he begins to realize that man makes his own destiny, and that the soul, or real man within, decrees whatever fate is best suited to the real needs of the individual. We must all pass through experiences pleasurable and painful, but our happiness depends on our attitude toward them; and if, instead of resenting unpleasant circumstances, we accept them as necessary lessons, we can thereby convert them into advantages."
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Theosophy in Butte
Montana, 1902Theosophy and its revival of occultism is establishing a firm footing in the philosophy and religion of the western world. Its teachings have been the recent occasion of extended newspaper discussion and very serious attention from the pulpit. The church is almost a unit against it, while writers are divided in opinion as to whether its influence is good or baneful. Even in Butte, where the society has one of its most active branches, theosophy has been the subject of sermons and public discussions. The advocates of the cult claim that those who attack it are actuated by a misconception of its doctrine and purpose, and by a mistaken idea that it is a new religion and antagonistic to Christianity, when in fact it is neither. Wide public attention has been called to the growth of the society by the extended reviews and notice given the new book, "Esoteric Christianity," by Annie Besant, the society's most prolific writer, in which she antagonizes the church by the declaration that there is a hidden side to religion, and that religion in its fullness is not free to all, but that it is handed out in measures as it can be received, or as man is prepared for its understanding and comprehension.
The Theosophical society now girdles the earth, and branches have been established in every country. Its headquarters are at Adyar, India, while the head of the American section is in New York, Alexander Fullerton, formerly an Episcopal clergyman, being its secretary.
Some Eminent Theosophists.
The society counts its membership among all races and in all countries, some very noted men and women being among its leaders. Camille Flammarion, the great French astronomer, is one of them. Thomas A. Edison and Professor Crookes, the eminent chemist of London, are ardent theosophists, and so was Max Mueller during his lifetime. J. C. Chattopadhyaya, a high caste Brahmin of India, is one of the converts to theosophy, and spent some time in the United States, where he delivered lectures on the subject. Annie Besant, the authoress, is a sister-in-law of the late Walter Besant, and her husband was a dean of the English church; A. P. Sinnett was for years on the editorial staff of the London Times until he received a commission in the army in India, where he met Madame Blavatsky, one of the founders of the modern society. C. W. Leadbeater, another prominent teacher and writer, was formerly a clergyman in the English church, and G. R. S. Mead, who has written some fine books on many subjects, is regarded as one of the most learned men in the world.
Origin of the Word.
The word "theosophy" is from the Greek and means "divine wisdom." The latter term is many thousand years old. The name theosophy dates from the third century of the Christian era and was applied by Ammonius Saccas, who started the electric theosophical system. Prof. Alexander Wilder, in his new Platonism, says the followers of that school were so called because of their practice of interpreting all sacred legends and narratives, myths and mysteries, by rule or principle of analogy and correspondence, so that events which were related as having occurred in the external world were regarded as expressing operations and experiences of the human soul. The object of this system was, first of all, to inculcate certain great moral truths upon its disciples, hence also the motto adopted by the theosophical society, "There Is No Religion Higher Than Truth." The chief aim of the founders of the ancient electric theosophical school was one of the three objects of its modern successor, the theosophical society of to-day, namely, to reconcile all religious sects and nations under a common system of ethics, based on eternal verities. The theosophists of olden times were large bodies and, like the modern, belonged to various religious philosophies. The mistake is often made that theosophy is a separate religion and antagonistic to other religions. This is not so, according to the claims made by the society. It is antagonistic to no religion. It teaches that all religions are streamlets of the one universal fountain of truth. Theosophy is a religious philosophy, universal in its scope and teaching and all inclusive. Its fundamental objects are: "To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or color; to encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science; to investigate unexplained laws of nature and the power latent in man."
Basis of Theosophy.
The doctrine of the brotherhood of man is based on the belief that all men spring from the one spiritual source, and all bodies are from the one mother earth, but theosophy differs from other beliefs as to all men being born equal. Theosophy holds that the true evolution is the unfolding, the growth of intelligence or consciousness through physical forms. Consequently all men are not at the same grade of mental development or evolution, hence all are not equal. For instance, to compare the low intellect of an Australian bushman with the mind of an Emerson illustrates that idea of the difference of unfoldment and development. Spiritually all men are brothers and are from the same spiritual parent. In its study of comparative religions theosophy teaches that each religion has its own mission in the world, is suited to the nation to which it is given, and the type of civilization which it is to permeate. The failure to see these leads to unjust criticism, for an ideally perfect religion would not be suitable to imperfect and partially evolved men. Every religion in the course of time suffers from accretions due to ignorance. It is found in comparative religions that at base they are all one. In all ages of the world there have been great spiritual teachers — Christs or Buddhas — who gave out the truth essential to the demand of the stage of evolution and environment of the people of different nations. Christ was the latest teacher and Christianity the youngest religion. He came to the western world and gave out in a form suitable to the western mind the religion of Christianity. All religions are found to be clothed in parable, allegory, symbol and figure, and when once the key to those symbols and allegories is understood it will be found that there is no disagreement at all in the teachings of the religions of the world. The study of comparative religions naturally leads to a study of comparative mythology, in which it is found that the gods of the ancients are not the mere figures of weird and extravagant tales, but are the personification of forces of nature and intelligences, and that the stories themselves clothe great truths.
Miracles Not Supernatural.
The latent forces in man open a wide and deep subject for study. It is claimed that when once the latent forces are understood the so-called miracles of Christ will be seen not to be supernatural, but the result of the development of powers within the man that enabled him to overcome material forces external to himself. Man is an epitome of the universe, and all forces, powers and laws of the universe are centered in him. It is claimed that lying within the physical senses are senses still finer, more subtle, and that if man is made in the image of God he must possess spiritual faculties that are the root and base of all other faculties. Theosophy holds that the seeming miracles performed by the disciples of Jesus, who were only ordinary men, prior to the awakening of their spiritual faculties, were possible by reason of the development of these faculties by knowledge imparted to them by their master, Jesus. Intuition, it is claimed, is the sixth sense, now being developed to a greater or less extent by men of to-day. The surprises in store for the races are not so much in discoveries of the finer forces of nature, marvelous as they will be, but rather what man is going to find within himself, for there lies in man possibilities undreamed of by the western world. By a method of mental and spiritual training called yoga the Hindoos have developed powers that enable them to control physical forces, and which has caused them to be looked upon as miracle workers. The orientals have always studied these latent powers, while the westerners have studied everything else but themselves. If Bible statements are true men in olden times exhibited powers far beyond the comprehension of undeveloped spiritual man. Witness the statements of St. Paul and St. John, and the story of Daniel in the lion's den, and of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
What It Teaches.
Theosophy teaches the doctrine of reincarnation and karma. Karma is the law of retribution, the law of cause and effect, the power that controls all things, the resultant of moral action. It is the sowing and reaping, for as a man sows so shall he also reap. All thoughts and acts committed while here on earth are seeds which will produce a harvest for which the sower must return and reap. Reincarnation is the return of the soul time and time again into physical bodies until it has learned the lesson that earth can teach. It learns from experience. Hence the teaching of karma and reincarnation establishes justice in the world and exonerates God of partiality, and shows why one man is born in a palace and another in the slum, why one is born a genius and another a fool, why one is a saint and the other a sinner. It is held that man is the creator of his own destiny. To quote Sir Edwin Arnold, a believer in reincarnation:
"He cometh, reaper of the things he sow'd,
Sesamum, corn, so much cast in past birth;
And so much weed and poison-stuff, which mar
Him and the aching earth.
"If he shall labor rightly, rooting these,
And planting wholesome seedlings
where they grew,
Fruitful and fair and clean the ground shall be,
And rich the harvest due."
—The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, Feb. 16, 1902, p. 19.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Death and the Hereafter
Butte, Montana, 1906
THE MEANING OF DEATH AND THE FUTURE LIFE
FACTS ABOUT EXISTENCE BEYOND THE GRAVE
ARE DEFINITELY KNOWN
Claim that it is possible to obtain information at first hand about these most perplexing problems of humanity
That very many people in Butte have become interested in the theosophical and scientific lectures being given by Henry Hotchner, under the auspices of the Butte Theosophical society, was again evidenced last evening by the big audience that filled Orton hall to hear Mr. Hotchner speak on the subject of "Death and the Hereafter." Mr. Hotchner claims that it has been demonstrated that life on the other side of death is just as real and active as life in the physical world, and that the "dead" are as much alive as they ever were.
Meaning of Death
"Though the public as a whole is not yet aware of the fact, the meaning of death and the character of man's existence thereafter are as definitely known and understood as the other truths in nature," said Mr. Hotchner. "This vitally important information, illuminating as it does one of the most perplexing problems of life, is the result of a most thorough investigation conducted by trained observers for a period of many years, and all the facts are now classified and arranged in a scientific manner.
Evidence on Subject
"For a long time evidence has been accumulating as to the certainty of existence after death and as to the nature of that existence. In the literature of almost every nation we have repeated assertions made of the return of the dead as apparitions. W. R. Stead's 'Real Ghost Stories' is an important contribution to that literature, and many well-attested tales can be found in it. Genuine phenomena of spiritualism, involving, as they sometimes do, actual return of the dead in materializations so that they can be seen, touched and spoken to, also furnish valuable evidence on the subject.
Beyond the Grave
"But far more important and reliable than these methods is the scientific examination of after-death conditions that has been made by trained theosophical investigators. These students, by right living and right education, have developed higher faculties and powers that enable them to penetrate the world of the dead and to report the facts as they are. A number of these have been working together for many years, verifying each other's observations and carefully tabulating and classifying the phenomena, and in C. W. Leadbeater's 'Astral Plane' and 'The Other Side of Death' the results of that work are to be found. It is indeed gratifying to know that the world beyond the grave is governed by law, as is this world; that the laws are analogous to those here; that the future experience conforms to reason and common sense, and that every person can verify all these facts for himself by fitting himself to do so.
True Man a Soul
"As a consequence of these researches it is established that the true man is a soul and not a physical body, and that the soul is immortal. Death, therefore, is not at all the end of the man's existence, but merely a stage in his progress, and the body is discarded because it has served its necessary purpose of providing experience and knowledge for the soul's growth.
Living After Death
"The man does not, after the death of his body, go to some far distant planet, but he usually remains in the same room and surroundings for quite some time. He is then living in a finer kind of matter than the physical; finer, in fact, than the ether of science. That is called astral matter. It interpenetrates all physical particles and is so rare and tenuous that it cannot be seen by the human eye. The dead man inhabits this realm or plane and is clothed in a body composed of this finer matter. Though he cannot be seen by the average man, he can be very readily perceived and communicated with by the spiritual man who has developed the inner senses and faculties which permit him to see the inhabitants and activities of the astral plane.
Except Without Physical Body
"The dead man is found not to be dead at all, but usually fully alive and conscious of his surroundings. He is not changed at all, in fact he is exactly the same man as before in habits, desires, emotions and aspirations, excepting that he is without the physical body. The life he will lead after his death depends entirely upon himself. The loving father and mother will remain hovering over their children, like guardian angels, pouring love and sympathy and tenderness upon them; doing their best to cheer their sorrowing ones and to assure them that they are alive and not dead. So it is a joyous fact that we are not separated from our loved ones who have died, and that every kind and helpful thought of them reaches them and makes their lives happier.
Now the Time to Decide
"The astral plane life after death is the first stage of the hereafter. It is very much like a purgatory, for its purpose is to cleanse the man of all his lower earthly desires and passions. If these desires were of a low type and had a strong hold on the man during his physical life, they will make him very uncomfortable and unhappy after death, because then he will not have the means wherewith to gratify them. But if they were of a high type, if the man tried to live up to the ideal of a good and useful and unselfish citizen, then his astral plane existence will be a glorious one and he will be able to do much good. By his life here and now man decides what his life will be after death, for the law of cause and effect puts his future into his own hands, and he will assuredly reap as he has sown.
Into the Heaven World
"When the man's stay in the astral plane is over, he passes into the heaven world, which is a realm of matter even finer than the astral. He is the same man as before, excepting that he is purged of lower desires, and he is now to enjoy the fruits of his nobler efforts during life. In this case also the man determines for himself the kind and length of his stay. If on earth he was thoughtful, kind and unselfish, he will have a long stay in the heaven world and will advance much in character and ability. If he had not much of such activities in earth life, his stay will be short. But, in any event, the heaven life is one of the most intense bliss, and its purpose is to enable the man to work into his character the results of his experiences during physical life.
Purpose of Existence
In due course the man will have utilized to the full every good energy and thought of his physical life, and then there will be nothing more to keep him in the heaven world. But that is not the end of things. The purpose of man's existence here is that he shall become perfect in wisdom, power and love, and in order to be that he must have many more experiences on earth. So he returns in this physical world, takes birth in a baby body and is ready for another day in the school of life.
"Thus it is seen that law and order rule in all departments of existence; that there is a reasonable and coherent plan in the world, and that man is to evolve slowly but surely to the perfection of divinity."
Tomorrow night Mr. Hotcher will speak in Anaconda, and next Wednesday evening he will deliver another public lecture at Orton hall in Butte. His subject will be "The Future of Mankind."
—The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, January 8, 1906, page 7.
THE MEANING OF DEATH AND THE FUTURE LIFE
FACTS ABOUT EXISTENCE BEYOND THE GRAVE
ARE DEFINITELY KNOWN
Claim that it is possible to obtain information at first hand about these most perplexing problems of humanity
That very many people in Butte have become interested in the theosophical and scientific lectures being given by Henry Hotchner, under the auspices of the Butte Theosophical society, was again evidenced last evening by the big audience that filled Orton hall to hear Mr. Hotchner speak on the subject of "Death and the Hereafter." Mr. Hotchner claims that it has been demonstrated that life on the other side of death is just as real and active as life in the physical world, and that the "dead" are as much alive as they ever were.
Meaning of Death
"Though the public as a whole is not yet aware of the fact, the meaning of death and the character of man's existence thereafter are as definitely known and understood as the other truths in nature," said Mr. Hotchner. "This vitally important information, illuminating as it does one of the most perplexing problems of life, is the result of a most thorough investigation conducted by trained observers for a period of many years, and all the facts are now classified and arranged in a scientific manner.
Evidence on Subject
"For a long time evidence has been accumulating as to the certainty of existence after death and as to the nature of that existence. In the literature of almost every nation we have repeated assertions made of the return of the dead as apparitions. W. R. Stead's 'Real Ghost Stories' is an important contribution to that literature, and many well-attested tales can be found in it. Genuine phenomena of spiritualism, involving, as they sometimes do, actual return of the dead in materializations so that they can be seen, touched and spoken to, also furnish valuable evidence on the subject.
Beyond the Grave
"But far more important and reliable than these methods is the scientific examination of after-death conditions that has been made by trained theosophical investigators. These students, by right living and right education, have developed higher faculties and powers that enable them to penetrate the world of the dead and to report the facts as they are. A number of these have been working together for many years, verifying each other's observations and carefully tabulating and classifying the phenomena, and in C. W. Leadbeater's 'Astral Plane' and 'The Other Side of Death' the results of that work are to be found. It is indeed gratifying to know that the world beyond the grave is governed by law, as is this world; that the laws are analogous to those here; that the future experience conforms to reason and common sense, and that every person can verify all these facts for himself by fitting himself to do so.
True Man a Soul
"As a consequence of these researches it is established that the true man is a soul and not a physical body, and that the soul is immortal. Death, therefore, is not at all the end of the man's existence, but merely a stage in his progress, and the body is discarded because it has served its necessary purpose of providing experience and knowledge for the soul's growth.
Living After Death
"The man does not, after the death of his body, go to some far distant planet, but he usually remains in the same room and surroundings for quite some time. He is then living in a finer kind of matter than the physical; finer, in fact, than the ether of science. That is called astral matter. It interpenetrates all physical particles and is so rare and tenuous that it cannot be seen by the human eye. The dead man inhabits this realm or plane and is clothed in a body composed of this finer matter. Though he cannot be seen by the average man, he can be very readily perceived and communicated with by the spiritual man who has developed the inner senses and faculties which permit him to see the inhabitants and activities of the astral plane.
Except Without Physical Body
"The dead man is found not to be dead at all, but usually fully alive and conscious of his surroundings. He is not changed at all, in fact he is exactly the same man as before in habits, desires, emotions and aspirations, excepting that he is without the physical body. The life he will lead after his death depends entirely upon himself. The loving father and mother will remain hovering over their children, like guardian angels, pouring love and sympathy and tenderness upon them; doing their best to cheer their sorrowing ones and to assure them that they are alive and not dead. So it is a joyous fact that we are not separated from our loved ones who have died, and that every kind and helpful thought of them reaches them and makes their lives happier.
Now the Time to Decide
"The astral plane life after death is the first stage of the hereafter. It is very much like a purgatory, for its purpose is to cleanse the man of all his lower earthly desires and passions. If these desires were of a low type and had a strong hold on the man during his physical life, they will make him very uncomfortable and unhappy after death, because then he will not have the means wherewith to gratify them. But if they were of a high type, if the man tried to live up to the ideal of a good and useful and unselfish citizen, then his astral plane existence will be a glorious one and he will be able to do much good. By his life here and now man decides what his life will be after death, for the law of cause and effect puts his future into his own hands, and he will assuredly reap as he has sown.
Into the Heaven World
"When the man's stay in the astral plane is over, he passes into the heaven world, which is a realm of matter even finer than the astral. He is the same man as before, excepting that he is purged of lower desires, and he is now to enjoy the fruits of his nobler efforts during life. In this case also the man determines for himself the kind and length of his stay. If on earth he was thoughtful, kind and unselfish, he will have a long stay in the heaven world and will advance much in character and ability. If he had not much of such activities in earth life, his stay will be short. But, in any event, the heaven life is one of the most intense bliss, and its purpose is to enable the man to work into his character the results of his experiences during physical life.
Purpose of Existence
In due course the man will have utilized to the full every good energy and thought of his physical life, and then there will be nothing more to keep him in the heaven world. But that is not the end of things. The purpose of man's existence here is that he shall become perfect in wisdom, power and love, and in order to be that he must have many more experiences on earth. So he returns in this physical world, takes birth in a baby body and is ready for another day in the school of life.
"Thus it is seen that law and order rule in all departments of existence; that there is a reasonable and coherent plan in the world, and that man is to evolve slowly but surely to the perfection of divinity."
Tomorrow night Mr. Hotcher will speak in Anaconda, and next Wednesday evening he will deliver another public lecture at Orton hall in Butte. His subject will be "The Future of Mankind."
—The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, January 8, 1906, page 7.
Theosophy Satisfies The Religious Instinct
Butte, Montana, 1906
IT WHOLLY SATISFIES THE YEARNING TO KNOW
THEOSOPHY SUPPLIES WHAT OTHER TEACHINGS LACK
THE RELIGIOUS INSTINCT
Longing to know about God and the world and its people an inherent part of human nature — A motive for right living and acting
Henry Hotchner yesterday afternoon gave another public lecture before a very large audience, using for his subject the query, "Does Theosophy Satisfy the Religious Instinct?" Many who heard the lecture pronounced it the most interesting yet delivered by Mr. Hotchner to the public in Butte. Briefly, he said:
"Theosophy certainly does satisfy the religious instinct and satisfy it wholly and rationally. The religious instinct, which is an inherent part of human nature, is the yearning to know about God, about ourselves, about the world in which we live, and about how we must live in order to be happy and useful now and hereafter. Theosophy satisfies this instinct because it provides this information and thus furnishes the motive for right living and acting.
The Great Teachers
"To give such information, to proclaim these facts, is the reason for the coming of the great spiritual teachers, Moses, Christ, Buddha, and others. Each one emphasized such truths as would help certain grades of souls, as would satisfy the religious instinct of the people they wished especially to help. Each one of the 300 or 400 religions in the world is helping certain kinds of people; no one religion could help all.
"The religious instinct based on the needs of the character must necessarily change as the character evolves. The religious instinct of the primitive man is satisfied with far less information than is necessary to satisfy the yearning and demands of the civilized man. The information given to men 2,000 years ago, or 200 years ago, and the manner in which it was given, cannot be completely satisfying now. The grown man cannot be satisfied with the food given to the infant. The religious instinct of the more advanced soul can be satisfied only by more information, greater light, stronger stimulus to right living.
The Modern Thinker
"In order to satisfy the modern thinker, the facts about religion must be presented in exactly the same way as are facts about any other department of knowledge. They must conform to reason, to common sense; they must be harmonious with other laws in nature, and they must explain things and satisfy them. It is because many religions fail to do this, because they insist upon proclaiming statements which are obviously unjust and irrational, that they are not satisfying the religious instinct of many very good people.
"Theosophy is not at all antagonistic to religions. On the contrary, it recognizes that they are helping many people. Theosophy suggests that people search into their own religion for the truths which they seek, even though they might well accept truth from other sources also.
Satisfies Religious Instinct
"Theosophy satisfies the religious instinct wholly because it gives the information which people want. It tells them definitely and accurately why we are here, the nature of the universe, its principal laws, how we should conform to these, what it is necessary to do so as to be happy and useful, what is the future that lies before us, and all other essential truths. It enlarges our previous conceptions of honor, of truth, of duty; it removes our fear of death, it relieves our worries, it lightens our burdens; it stimulates us to greater usefulness and greater happiness."
Tonight Mr. Hotchner will speak at Orton hall on "Death and the Hereafter," the lecture to begin punctually at 8 o'clock. His subject is one that will probably draw even a larger audience than usual, because it is the one subject humanity is mostly interested in and about which it knows least.
—The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, January 7, 1906, page 9.
IT WHOLLY SATISFIES THE YEARNING TO KNOW
THEOSOPHY SUPPLIES WHAT OTHER TEACHINGS LACK
THE RELIGIOUS INSTINCT
Longing to know about God and the world and its people an inherent part of human nature — A motive for right living and acting
Henry Hotchner yesterday afternoon gave another public lecture before a very large audience, using for his subject the query, "Does Theosophy Satisfy the Religious Instinct?" Many who heard the lecture pronounced it the most interesting yet delivered by Mr. Hotchner to the public in Butte. Briefly, he said:
"Theosophy certainly does satisfy the religious instinct and satisfy it wholly and rationally. The religious instinct, which is an inherent part of human nature, is the yearning to know about God, about ourselves, about the world in which we live, and about how we must live in order to be happy and useful now and hereafter. Theosophy satisfies this instinct because it provides this information and thus furnishes the motive for right living and acting.
The Great Teachers
"To give such information, to proclaim these facts, is the reason for the coming of the great spiritual teachers, Moses, Christ, Buddha, and others. Each one emphasized such truths as would help certain grades of souls, as would satisfy the religious instinct of the people they wished especially to help. Each one of the 300 or 400 religions in the world is helping certain kinds of people; no one religion could help all.
"The religious instinct based on the needs of the character must necessarily change as the character evolves. The religious instinct of the primitive man is satisfied with far less information than is necessary to satisfy the yearning and demands of the civilized man. The information given to men 2,000 years ago, or 200 years ago, and the manner in which it was given, cannot be completely satisfying now. The grown man cannot be satisfied with the food given to the infant. The religious instinct of the more advanced soul can be satisfied only by more information, greater light, stronger stimulus to right living.
The Modern Thinker
"In order to satisfy the modern thinker, the facts about religion must be presented in exactly the same way as are facts about any other department of knowledge. They must conform to reason, to common sense; they must be harmonious with other laws in nature, and they must explain things and satisfy them. It is because many religions fail to do this, because they insist upon proclaiming statements which are obviously unjust and irrational, that they are not satisfying the religious instinct of many very good people.
"Theosophy is not at all antagonistic to religions. On the contrary, it recognizes that they are helping many people. Theosophy suggests that people search into their own religion for the truths which they seek, even though they might well accept truth from other sources also.
Satisfies Religious Instinct
"Theosophy satisfies the religious instinct wholly because it gives the information which people want. It tells them definitely and accurately why we are here, the nature of the universe, its principal laws, how we should conform to these, what it is necessary to do so as to be happy and useful, what is the future that lies before us, and all other essential truths. It enlarges our previous conceptions of honor, of truth, of duty; it removes our fear of death, it relieves our worries, it lightens our burdens; it stimulates us to greater usefulness and greater happiness."
Tonight Mr. Hotchner will speak at Orton hall on "Death and the Hereafter," the lecture to begin punctually at 8 o'clock. His subject is one that will probably draw even a larger audience than usual, because it is the one subject humanity is mostly interested in and about which it knows least.
—The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, Montana, January 7, 1906, page 9.
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