THEOSOPHY AND THE CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 643, 21 October 1909, Page 4

THEOSOPHY AND THE CHURCH.

. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) | Auckland, October 10. . "My first' study of theosophy Degan about eight years ago, .said the K-ev. C. W. Scott Moncrieff .yesterday to a "Herald" reporter, who called with a view to ascertaining the reason why/ Mr. : MoncricfE had accepted the teachings of , theosophy. MA Moncrieff was formerly warden of St. John's Theological College, 'Auokland, : but ho recently resigned that position as he joined the Theosophical Society, and accepted the teachings* of theosophy. He had just about finished his university course at Oxford when, he was brought to read sorao books on theosophy, and from that ho was led to take up the subject. Theosophy, said Mr. Moncrieff, was not antagonistic to the doctrine of the Church of England, for. instance, which could be interpreted Many of the 'more obscuro passages in tho Bible were illuminated by a knowledge of theosophy, and some of . the clergy were now studying tho subject, and wcro members of the Theosophical Society. The reason for its non-acceptance in some quarters appeared to be a natural conservatism and a clirigiug.to orthodox creeds. "Many of the preachers and teachers of what is called 'tho now theology' at Home/ I 'said Mr. Moncrieff, "are giving us theosophical teachings. Science is helming ..religious, and religion is-becoming scientific, and tho two.aTe moving together to a meeting point which will be a viewiof the life of mau and the univorse which is ossontially theosophical/' Thoro wcro ' a good number of theosophists in tho Church • of- England now. Spiritualism, clairvoyance, etc.,, which-tho Church did not attempt to explain, were explained by. theosopliy. Scientists would got on far faster if they-accepted the teaching of' *heosophy as a working, hypothesis-