THEOSOPHY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVIII, Issue 11367, 7 September 1897, Page 3

THEOSOPHY.

Colonel Olcott delivered his second lecture last night at the Art Gallery to a good audience. Mr .1. B. Wither 1 presided. Miss Lilian Edgar opened with an address on the “ Fundamental Conception of Religion.” She spoke of the evolution of the race through different cycles, and said that those of the last cycle were at present our teachers, as wo should he the teachers of the next cycle. Cosmic time would develop through all successive stages of moral and intellectual perfectibility. All the fables of the descent of gods to earth for the instruction of infant races embodied this idea, which was a reasonable one. and these god-like teachers would naturally he regarded as personal gods. Colonel Olcott gave an address upon the origin, development, purposes and results of the theosophical movement, and argued that its unquestioned successes and everwidening influence proved that it was a public necessity. There have been issued in all nearly 450 charters for brandies of the parent body. These were grouped into sections for convenience of administration, and all depended upon the central authority at Madras, the President’s official residence. As with every other society, differences and secessions had occurred because of tho personal factor. But the public lost nothing, since all groups propagated the same ideas. The speaker mentioned the great educational work done in Ceylon by the Society, its educational work among the poor pariahs of India, and observed also that tho Theosophists had been working with the Bombay authorities throughout the fearful epidemic of the plague. Ho closed with an eloquent peroration, and was heartily applauded.

Colonel Olcott’s next lecture will be given on Wednesday evening, at the same place and time, when he will treat of “ Spiritualism from a Scientific Standpoint.”