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BITS OF BESANT.
THEOSOPHIQ TEACHINGS.
Thoosophy alleges that man, In the
wholo of his nature, ia a mirror of the
groat universe outside him. He is
capable of developing his own nature so
that ho comes in contaot with tho different
regions of the universe. The innermost
nature ef man is divine— atone with the
spirit of the universe, a spark thrown out
by the spirit of the uuiveree.
Here and there in our race have ap
peared men in whom the spirit has
evolved to auch a point as to permeate
their entire nature. In Buddha and in
Christ yon find the spirit shining through
tho outer veil of tlurflurii and fife becom
ing radiant by the light from within.
Tho course of huuion evolution is tho
gradual uplifting of the lower nature
until tbe light of the spirit shines out. In
the lowest criminal type tho innermost
core of tho man is divine, and therefore
thero ib a promiso of hi evolution, a cer
tainty of his gradual development into the
perfection of humanity. '
As this spirit gradually individualises
itsolf.you have evolved what is called tbo
human soul, differing in iu qualities,
Dowers and faculties according to the
sugo of evolution it has reached.
We say that this spirit goes into tho
life of the world, ' passes through
Ji'o after Hfo, and gathers ex
perience of life— as tho wind gathers
aroma in passing through a garden of
flowers— so that when its work is over,
when ail the experience of life has baon
gathered, you havo the perfect soul. .
. tbo perfect man that stands at the
head of evolution.
The human body is built up of tiny
particles— matter that comce and goes,
never stable, always changing. A doctor
will tell you that tho human body
changes onco iu the course of seven
years. The body ie not the solid sub
stance it looks to our eyes, but a constant
itroam of changing particles.
Science is just beginning to realise that
In the muiculoB, nerves and blood yon bave
an aggregation of countless tiny lives.
Scientists hold that tbceo lives come and
go, that thoy will pass from their present
enviroumout and form part of tho lives of
others to-morrow, Thoosophy teaches as
that wo are responsible for tho uso wo
make of these tiny Uvea while remaining
in tho body that wo call our own.
If in our eating or drinking wo are not
careful wo poison these tiny lives, and
they carry the mischief frum us to other
wen, womou and children. We become a
source of danger to others whon we lack
purity iu our own lives. Disease is tho
extreme expression of thia iaw. Every
dey wo make people about us healthier or
less hoalthy.
Lot us learn tho duty of tho pbyiical
purity of life. Let us apread hoaith and
purity around us. . . . This is tho physi
cal brotborfiood of man ; any man who
disregards such duty does it athieperiL
(Cheers.)
Whutyou will » what you must become.
Tho human will moulds the forces of
human dentiny. This doctrine is not a
kind of fatalism paralysing human efforts;
it is a knowledge that gives us tho contro
of the future. All progress in science is
based on this inevitable, inviolable law.
One of tho uses of pain is that it gives
us power. It inculcates endurance ; it
enables us to understand and sympathise
with other sufferers, and to become more
usoful to our follow meu. By means of
the pain and anguish that mark human
fife wo develop tbo muscles of the soul.
Never except by Buffering can the
powers of the soul bo ovulved. When you
learn the truth of this, sufiering becomes
easy to be bomo. You look beyond pain
to tho result. . . Out of tho bud of
pain comes tho blosiom of human help
fulness— tho power of helping one's neigh
bors.
. Supposing I am angry, and entertain
feelings of revungo. Tbe evil thought goes
out into tho mental atmosphere around,
taiuting it and bocoming a force for ovil.
My anger, my thought of revenge touch
ing tho man of weak— or, aa it ia callod,
"criminal"— nature, may prove an im
pulse finding expression in murder. . .
When you realise this you will begin to
take care of your thoughts.
What m true of the evil is true of the
virtuous thought. If our thoughts are of
great and noblo things, they kindle and
stimulate the great and tho noblo iu other
minds. . . Tbe wise man koops the
key ef his own mind, and decrees what
denizens shall abide there. :
When I think of this glorious future
within our grasp , . then I see a great
race of upright mou and women climbing
up tbe mountain aide, tbe strong helping
the weak in tho journoy upwards and on
wards. Ana I hear the voico front the
mountain top : " Who ie willing to give
liimselt for man? Lot him como forward
that he may help his race to riee." And
here and- there comes tho answering
response, "Take mo and me !"
The pioneors of tho race are ahead,
with uies in hand, hewing out steps
along the mountolu side. What does it
matter if. the handles of tbe axe blister
the hands? What noes it matter if the
steps be over the sharp ioe or rugged
granite ? I know as I climb that I form
a link of that hamtn life that shall live
and last until It attains itha piuoaolo
above. .
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