THEOSOPHY AND MORALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 177, 26 July 1913, Page 10

THEOSOPHY AND MORALITY.

(To the Sdltor.V Sir,—ln my former letter. I answered; the contention of your correspondent. -I. Liddell Kellv, in nis misleading indictment against \fr. Leadbetter and -Mrs. Besant: lv now changes his ground, in order to maintain the position he has assumed as Devil's Advocate against two of the very loftiest and most highlyendowed people, on the earth today. He refers to another trial before another magistrate, ill which Mrs. Besant was the. plaintiff representing the Thcosoplrrcal (jocM-V, but. the magistrate ruled that the defamation of character complained of did not apply to that Society, which was, therefore, excluded from the ease. 'But he also ruled that j there was evidence to show that Mrs. Besant, supported the advice given by Mr. Lead-beater, whereas she has always steadily and s-trongly disapproved of it. and made it a condition of his return to the Society that he should promise not ■ to repeat it. Mrs. Besant is about! to , apply for a revision of the magistrate's ' observations. Now. as to the principal point in the - whole affair. Mr. I.raid-boat or was a ; priest in the Anglican Church, and in , dealing with boys placed under his care, ■ he followed the practice of some orders . in that Church in helping them to purify . their minds on sexual matters, aiding ; them to abstain gradually from the com- | I mission of solitary acts of vice; his usual [ habit was to speak to the hoy of the . danger of both solitary ami associated vice, and in course of time to turn his mind completely away from any such ( thoughts: in every ease in which he ; found it his duty to advise on the sub--1 jec.t. the best results were obtained. r Tt is quite easy to take up your correspon_ent's challenge 'by asserting the ; fact that the words quoted in the last ; paragraph of his letter never had the l slightest reference to any sexual acts. [ Your correspondent is only repeating the ■ otd twaddle. in face of Mr. Leaubeater's i repudiation and the great probability i that-the letter referred to was a forgery. l Theosoplvrsts, therefore, have no rea- ■ son to haul down their banner. "There 1 is no religion biirlier than Truth," nor • do- they seek to shelter themselves under i any of the shifting moral standards of t the. world. Tlie very highest pinnacle of i morality is the foundation of theosophy. ; Tt is just as unfair to impugn Mr. -. Leadhenter's bona-fides as it would be : to djsrrcd-it the -motives of those who differ from him. He may not. perhaps, ■ go the very best way about such work, ; but. his object, and intention are as right I as thei»s. 'But too many degenerate - anthers nowadays are seeking popular- - ity by nosine about in the filth of sexual- ■ ity; they should, however, not mistake t for one of themselves, the man who I comes along to deal with that tilth with i a broom and a water-bucket. The very large majority of members i of the Thoosophieal -Society are. fully ) informed npon this question, and are t well assured of Mr. I.eadbeater's integrity and of his practical in all ! relations of life: they would Tejoice if i all their children conld have the benefit of hia training. A small minority no doubt agree with Mts. Besant in the ; disapproval of the ad„ce he gave, while a very few take the severest view-, and hold him guilty of hnmoralirv. And I apprehend that men and women all over ' the world are also divided in opinion upon the practical steps to be taken in such matters. But tlie world does nothi ing hut palter with such tabooed subjects, and is only too ready to fling at anyone who takes a strodg line, of his i own and succeeds in his object. •Mr. Leadbeater is an expert psychologist with a keen sense of dirty and full i knowledge gained by experience: he is no we_kling, but a brave, frank, lionhearted man. as all his past history . proves. Tour readers roav like to Vnow i j that Sir S. Subramania Iyer. K.C.1.E.. . i late Judjre of the High Court of M.idras. '; wrote: '•'I could never believe, and I ■{did never believe, that Mr. Lcadhciter . iwas guilty of Cue charges brought

against him," and 'he thinks that reparation sTioiild be made to him for the gross charges made. The Madras "Standard" lately published a letter from a gentlemau who has acted as a voluntary private secretary to Mr. Lead- f beater. He says: "I know, of young! men who have turned to him in their difficulties, and never has he advised them otherwise than to hold linn and control themselves by force of determined will, engaging in good work, and keeping their thoughts employed in useful directions: hundreds testify that their lives have -been lifted by his advice and example to a level of purity and spirituality and bappine.-.-. which, a short time before, they thought impossible. His life is more inspiring than that of any other man T ever met." This, however, is all ancient history. Mr. Leadbe.-iter his been tried and acquitted by his peers; and the Society has reiped the 'benefit of the discussion. as it invariably attract- number- to its ranks j by any such publicity given to its proceedings.—l am. etc. W. MELVILLE NEWTON. (To tho Editor.) Sir.— Mr. Newton's letter 0:1 the above subject, is simply a string of extracts from theusophical sources, and I challenge him t > say whether he has read full reports in Indian daily papers. Assuming that your readers remember the general tenor of what Mr. Newton says about Leadbeater, I will now give you facts in place of fiction. Here are Mrs. Bcsant's own words, read front Exhibit fct. !). in open Court:—"Mr. Loadbeater says he has never given the advice except in cases whore certain symptoms had already shown themselves. either on the physical plane or in the 'aura.' even though in one or two instances this may have taken place before what is commonly called puberty." Now, 1 will translate this, with the help of other documents and a little cointnonsensc. Leadbeater was entrusted with young boys. lie claimed to be a "clairvoyant.," and had a good look at their "auras," and no doubt professed that be saw the spooks of bad girls hovering round, ready to tempt them when they j got old enough. Then be proceeded to "give the advice." with what effect your readers can readily imagine. Iv one case letters of a most, pathetic description from a boy's mother were read in Court and reported it: the Indian Press. As to Major Poaeocl-.e saying Lesdbeater is "pure ami gentle." I will just. _ive you on" quotation from the same authority which will show the value of bis opinion. There is a quarterly journal called "The Herald of the Star." It says on the cover it is "edited by .1. Krishnamurti." Now. this Krishnamurti is an ignorant licng.-il boy. whom the Easters call Alagone. In that very journal (April. 1912. page 41) I tind'Major Peaeocke writing as follows: —"Standing with shy dignity was a Brahmana youth of sixteen summers, with refined, handsome features, and eyes remarkable even in this land of beautiful eyes." Can you conceive a man submitting such words, or the "editor" publishing them? I don't blame poor Krisnamurti. because he knew very little English at 1 lie time, was a mere puppet, and never read a word of the journal he was represented as editing. But do think i; over. Suppose yon. Sir. were distributing pri7.es al some bun-struggle and your reporter ! described you thus: 'Standinj' with gentlemanly nonchalance was an Irish aristroemt of some sixty-eight winter.-. with an intellectual brow and a nose prominent even in a land." etc. Now, would anyone possessing common sense, send an editor that ? And would any editor (if he could read) put it in?—l am. etc.. W. F. HOW LETT. Estcourt, Tane. Eket.ihuna. [This correspondence is now closed.— Ed.]