Roger Bacon
Wherever thought has struggled to be free, there the great Theosophical Movement is to be discerned. The twelfth century is interesting from this point of… Read More »Roger Bacon
christianity
Writings related to Christianity.
First Century Christianity
Theosophy is the ancient Wisdom-Religion, as old as thinking man, and part of the work of the Theosophical Movement is to keep these immemorial ideas… Read More »First Century Christianity
Jesus, the Christ
I The period of history that began with the first century B.C. and ended with the year 414 A.D. was an important one for the… Read More »Jesus, the Christ
Mystics and Mysticism in Christianity
It is no part of the purpose of the writer of this paper to give a connected history of mysticism, or to introduce all the… Read More »Mystics and Mysticism in Christianity
Theosophy in the Apocrypha
I. Esdras The word Apocrypha means hidden, or secret, i. e., esoteric, and is applied to fourteen books originally published with the Old Testament, but… Read More »Theosophy in the Apocrypha
The Foundations of Christian Mysticism
Contents Preface Introduction Part I. I. The Soul and its Powers.II. Knowledge.III. The Nature of the Soul.IV. The Absolute.V. Deity.VI. Being.VII. Personality.VIII. God.IX. Creation.X. The… Read More »The Foundations of Christian Mysticism
The Fall of Ideals
“Alas! we know that ideals can never be completely embodied in practice. Ideals must ever lie a great way off—and we will thankfully content ourselves… Read More »The Fall of Ideals
The Creed of Christendom
I. “The fairy tale of the three supernatural persons, woman can verify.”—Matthew Arnold. Three centuries ago, the main tide of thought which distinguishes the modern… Read More »The Creed of Christendom
The Tide of Life
I. “Our souls have sight of that immortal sea which brought us hither; Can in a moment travel thither— And see the children sport upon… Read More »The Tide of Life
“Lucifer” to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Greeting!
My Lord Primate of all England,— We make use of an open letter to your Grace as a vehicle to convey to you, and through… Read More »“Lucifer” to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Greeting!
Answers to Queries
A Correspondent from New York writes: . . . The Editors of Lucifer would confer a great benefit on those who are attracted to the movement… Read More »Answers to Queries
“Let Every Man Prove His Own Work”
Such is the title of a letter received by the Editors of Lucifer. It is of so serious a nature that it seems well to… Read More »“Let Every Man Prove His Own Work”
The Esoteric Character of the Gospels
Part I “. . . . Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy presence, and of the… Read More »The Esoteric Character of the Gospels
Cain and Abel
“The first step is Sacrifice; the next, Renunciation.” “’Es leuchtet mir ein, I see a glimpse of it!’ cries he, elsewhere: ‘there is in man… Read More »Cain and Abel
“Two Professors.” Christian and Skeptic.
At the recent May Meeting of the Church Missionary Society, Sir M. Monier-Williams felt impelled to lay before the world in general, and the crowd… Read More »“Two Professors.” Christian and Skeptic.
Gospels and Upanishads
“The principle which gives life, undying and eternally beneficent, is perceived by him who desires perception.” As the clouds are dispelled by the rising sun,… Read More »Gospels and Upanishads
The History of a Planet
No star, among the countless myriads that twinkle over the sidereal fields of the night sky, shines so dazzlingly as the planet Venus—not even Sirius-Sothis,… Read More »The History of a Planet
What’s in a Name?
What’s in a name? Very often there is more in it than the profane is prepared to understand, or the learned mystic to explain. It… Read More »What’s in a Name?
Have Animals Souls?
“Continually soaked with blood, the whole earth is but an immense altar upon which all that lives has to be immolated—endlessly, incessantly.” . . .—Comte… Read More »Have Animals Souls?
[Notes on the Legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church, and its Crimes]
Article Selections from “Unpublished Writings of Eliphas Levi” | Notes by H.P.B. . . . Pope. We do not want to save ourselves, and God will… Read More »[Notes on the Legitimacy of the Roman Catholic Church, and its Crimes]
A Roman Catholic Saint at Goa
St. Francis Xavier was a Roman Catholic priest. His sacred corpse is lodged at Gôa, and exposed every third or fourth year to the public… Read More »A Roman Catholic Saint at Goa
[Notes on “Drama of the Latter Days”]
Article Selections | Introduction and Notes by H.P.B. Drama of the Latter Days: A Suggestion. We hardly need to offer an apology to the English… Read More »[Notes on “Drama of the Latter Days”]
Theosophy and Love: A Rejoinder
[Note: the current article is a continuation of a series between Damodar and the Epiphany, beginning with Damodar’s “Oxford Mission Shots at Occultism”. The Epiphany’s… Read More »Theosophy and Love: A Rejoinder
The Oxonians and Theosophy Again
Barring an occasional drop of gall in the cup of Hippocrates, our esteemed antagonists of the Oxford Mission are very kind towards us. In fact,… Read More »The Oxonians and Theosophy Again
The Theosophists and Irenæus
The Rev. Editor of the Christian College Magazine comes down short and heavy upon Col. Olcott. He speaks of somebody’s “invincible ignorance” and remarks that “on the… Read More »The Theosophists and Irenæus
[Note on “Equality, Fraternity and Liberty”]
Selection from a reply by the Editor of The Epiphany to a letter by H. C. Niblett | Note by H.P.B. May we ask you whether “we must remain apart… Read More »[Note on “Equality, Fraternity and Liberty”]
The Rev. W. Hastie’s Karma and the Progress of Poesy in Bengal
According to some contemporaries:—“A copy of the pamphlet containing a full account of the trial of Pigot vs. Hastie, has been presented by the plaintiff to… Read More »The Rev. W. Hastie’s Karma and the Progress of Poesy in Bengal
A Final Answer
It is impossible for an Editor to please everybody, and whoever has tried it has been set down as a fool. The attempt has invariably… Read More »A Final Answer
On the Status of Jesus
Selections from a letter by a correspondent named Vera | Notes by H.P.B. Under the teachings of the beneficent and sublime Wisdom-Religion now being given… Read More »On the Status of Jesus
The Trinity of Righteousness
Three other victims “smelling sweet in the nostrils of the Lord!” The names of Justice North, the Rev. Dr. S. Wainwright, and Mr. Alexander Scott,… Read More »The Trinity of Righteousness
Theosophy and Religious Riots
Some far-sighted and promising correspondent, anxious to penetrate the mystery of the recent Kotahena riot between the Buddhists and the Roman Catholics to its very… Read More »Theosophy and Religious Riots
A Heavy Curse
As a specimen of condensed and concentrated episcopal malice, the following ANATHEMA recently sent by the Pope to various Bishops with orders to be read… Read More »A Heavy Curse
By “Bell, Book, And Candle”
Not with the object of vindicating the Asiatic people from any charge of superstition that may lie against them, but only to show that in… Read More »By “Bell, Book, And Candle”
A Word with the Theosophists
The following letters appeared recently in the Poona Observer. Were it not for a few flagrant misconceptions in letter the first and which it seems… Read More »A Word with the Theosophists
“Self-Contradictions of the Bible”
Letter Selections by Lakshman Singh | Introductory Note and Notes by H.P.B. [Note: for background, see The “Contradictions of the Bible” and The Rawal Pindi Mission… Read More »“Self-Contradictions of the Bible”
[Common Esotericism of East and West]
Selection from a Letter to the Editor (in response to a review of The Perfect Way) by it’s authors: Dr. Anna Kingsford and Edward Maitland… Read More »[Common Esotericism of East and West]
The Origin of the Gospels and the Bishop of Bombay
The ignorance which commonly prevails among English Christians concerning the history of their own religious books and, it is feared, of their contents—has been amusingly… Read More »The Origin of the Gospels and the Bishop of Bombay
The “Contradictions of the Bible” and The Rawal Pindi Mission School
TO THE MANAGER, THEOSOPHIST OFFICE. Sir.—the copy of Self-contradictions of the Bible arrived at my school on August 3. By chance the post peon gave… Read More »The “Contradictions of the Bible” and The Rawal Pindi Mission School
[Reviews: Two Christian Papers]
The Christian Herald and Signs of Our Times carry in their title-name the gist of their subject matter. It is an illustrated paper; and one… Read More »[Reviews: Two Christian Papers]
A “Light” Shining in Darkness
Our respected contemporary, Light, catches at an expression in a recent letter, from one of the Secretaries of our Society, to its Editor, transmitting a… Read More »A “Light” Shining in Darkness
Masons and Jesuits
Our Masonic readers, of whom very respectable numbers are scattered throughout India, ought to be on the lookout for recent publications against their Fraternity. We… Read More »Masons and Jesuits
[On Christian Bigots and the Salvation Army]
Article Selections from “The Amazons of the Lord” | Note and Closing Paragraphs by H.P.B.* [* This article is unsigned in The Theosophist. In The Collected… Read More »[On Christian Bigots and the Salvation Army]
In Desperate Straits
The emotional letter to the Editor of a Christian journal of London, from a well-known native clergyman of Ceylon, which we copy below, is generously… Read More »In Desperate Straits
[Crimes of Preachers in the United States]
“The Crimes of Preachers in the United States”1 for the last five years—from May 1876 to May 1881, “translated out of the original newspapers and with previous… Read More »[Crimes of Preachers in the United States]
Superstition
Owing to the fanciful reports of superficial and prejudiced travellers, to their entire ignorance of Asiatic religions and—very often, their own—Western nations generally are labouring… Read More »Superstition
[Spiritualism and the Christian Churches]
Magna est veritas et prevalebit. The reality of the phenomena has prevailed, and the Church is now forced to seek alliance with the Spiritualists against… Read More »[Spiritualism and the Christian Churches]
[On the Salvation Army]
Poetry and profanity is the leading feature we find in this month’s otherwise sober English papers, we are sorry to say. There are two short… Read More »[On the Salvation Army]
[On Col. Olcott’s Opponents in Ceylon]
The rabid Christians in Ceylon seem to have been rather overdoing their game of detraction in the case of the Theosophists. The love of justice… Read More »[On Col. Olcott’s Opponents in Ceylon]
Miracles
That golden treasury of arcane knowledge—the Catholic Mirror—reports a “magnificent lecture” upon miracles by Archbishop Seguers. It is a “fascinating discourse” on the “manifestations of… Read More »Miracles
[On the “Hide and Seek” Policy of the Christian God]
Article Selections from “Our Ceylon Work”| Note by H.P.B. The Ceylon Times, of Colombo, of June 8, noticing the good work of our President in that island,… Read More »[On the “Hide and Seek” Policy of the Christian God]
Canonization of a New Saint
The last mail from Europe informs us of the canonization of a new Saint who, if he takes his mundane habits to heaven, will be… Read More »Canonization of a New Saint
Science, Phenomena, and the Press
Fiat Justitia, ruat coelum is not the motto of our century. Nothing is so amusing as to watch at every fresh exposure of some tricky… Read More »Science, Phenomena, and the Press
[Notes on the Theosophical Society, Christianity, Buddhism and Vedanta]
Article Selections from “The Work of the Theosophical Societies” | Notes by H.P.B. Extracts from the President’s Letters to the Bombay Headquarters Thursday, May 12,… Read More »[Notes on the Theosophical Society, Christianity, Buddhism and Vedanta]
[Notes on “A Letter from Surb Ohannes”]
Article Selections by the Adept Hillarion Smerdis (signed “X. . . F.T.S.”) | Notes by H.P.B. . . . Your archaeologists and ethnologists are yet… Read More »[Notes on “A Letter from Surb Ohannes”]
[On Ceylon and Christian Converts]
Complying with the pressing invitations of our Buddhist brothers, our President, Col. Olcott, is again on his way to Ceylon. He sailed on April 22,… Read More »[On Ceylon and Christian Converts]
[A Missionary Demand]
The Bombay Guardian, an organ of the Methodist sect, recently expressed in strong terms the decided opinion that the Government of India should “demand of… Read More »[A Missionary Demand]
A False “Witness”
The Lucknow Witness, it appears, indulged some time since in a bit of casuistical morality at the expense of the “Theosophists.” The term used by… Read More »A False “Witness”
An Important Biblical Error
An important Biblical error is alleged to have been discovered by Mr. Charles Beke, the learned author of a well-known work called Origines Biblicæ, and… Read More »An Important Biblical Error
[Note on “The Bishop’s Manifesto”]
Article Selections by P. A. P. | Note by H.P.B. Madame,—Permit me to draw your attention in your journal which is devoted to Oriental Philosophy,… Read More »[Note on “The Bishop’s Manifesto”]
The Most Ancient of Christian Orders
Bent upon searching for the origin of all things, the etymology of names included, and giving every religious and philosophical system, without prejudice, stint, or… Read More »The Most Ancient of Christian Orders
The Alleged Real Meaning of Educational Missions in India
We confess to having read with great surprise an authoritative explanation that the real object in view in the establishment of the Christian Vernacular Education… Read More »The Alleged Real Meaning of Educational Missions in India
The Decadence of Protestant Christianity
Doubts have been expressed by Asiatic friends as to the truth of our assertion that Protestantism was fast approaching the crisis of its fate. Yet… Read More »The Decadence of Protestant Christianity
The Christian Art of War
Will some reverend preacher, devoted to the work of propagating Christianity among the “poor Heathens,” generously read at his next Bible-class, Sunday-school, or open-air meeting… Read More »The Christian Art of War
Madame Blavatsky and Her Opinions
Mme. H. P. Blavatsky, who “professes to be a Buddhist,” and who—thinks the Observer—had better explain the outrageous deception of professing to have willed one… Read More »Madame Blavatsky and Her Opinions
[On the Biblical Chronology of Noah’s Flood]
Article selection from “Puzzles for the Philologists”, by M. Gracias | Note by H.P.B. In a somewhat lengthy article which appears in the March number… Read More »[On the Biblical Chronology of Noah’s Flood]
The State of Christianity
The entire space in a monthly magazine as large as this might be filled with extracts from the journals of Europe and America showing the… Read More »The State of Christianity
Cock-and-Bull
Some months ago, the THEOSOPHIST was taken to task by certain Christian Roman Catholic friends, for crediting “supernatural” cock-and-bull “inventions” about spirits and mediums, as… Read More »Cock-and-Bull
“A Personal Statement of Religious Belief”
“A PERSONAL STATEMENT OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF” is the title of a pamphlet now just appearing at Bombay. It is an unexpected, and very unusual piece… Read More »“A Personal Statement of Religious Belief”
Missionaries Militant
We have just read the two dreary columns in The Pioneer of March 15th, “The Theosophists in Council,” by Mr. T. G. Scott. The Council… Read More »Missionaries Militant
[Was Jehovah Inspired by Indra?]
Article selection from “Indra”, by Rajendro Nauth Dutta | Notes by H.P.B. Indra1 is the name of one of these Hindu deities that were worshipped… Read More »[Was Jehovah Inspired by Indra?]
Lo! The “Poor Missionary”
Decidedly the year A.D. 1880 begins as unpropitious and gloomy for that long-suffering, self-sacrificing class, known in Europe as Protestant Missionaries, but in India as… Read More »Lo! The “Poor Missionary”
[Missionary Tactics in India]
Article selection from “Swami verses Missionary”, The Debate at Ajmere between Pandit Dayanund Saraswati Swami and the Rev. Dr. Gray, Reported for the Theosophist by… Read More »[Missionary Tactics in India]
Christmas Then and Christmas Now
We are reaching the time of the year when the whole Christian world is preparing to celebrate the most noted of its solemnities—the birth of… Read More »Christmas Then and Christmas Now
The Theosophists and Their Opponents
Sir,—I pray you to give me, in your Calcutta paper, space enough to reply to the mendacious comments of one of your religious neighbours upon… Read More »The Theosophists and Their Opponents
Buddhist Priests and the Title “Reverend”
To the Editor, Sir,—My writing is prompted by the legitimate curiosity of a foreigner, who is studying the value of English words and their relative… Read More »Buddhist Priests and the Title “Reverend”
The Indian “Public” and Theosophy
To the Editor of The Indian Spectator. Before entering upon the main question that compels me to ask you kindly to accord me space in your… Read More »The Indian “Public” and Theosophy