THEOSOPHY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10544, 22 March 1920, Page 9

THEOSOPHY

NATIONAL LECTURER'S, ADDRESS. “THROUGH THE GATES OF SLEEP. AND DEATH." Miss C. IV. Christie, national lecturer; for the Theosophicol Society, delivered an address at the Masonic Hall, Boulcott street, last evening entitled, “Through the Gates of Sleepand Death.’’ There was & large audience. Lieutenant-Colonel E. B. Smythe, president of the local branch of the society, presided. The lecturer said that some people might ask why she did not give public proofs by means of exhibitions of phenomenal theosophical happenings in support of the theories she advanced. Tho society, she explained, was not out to place the principles of their belief before the people, through such demonstrations, which were only held in private. Tho society preferred that those who were interested in its work should first of nil understand the theories that led up to the phenomena of occultism. Those who wished to see the inner workings of theosophy must join tho society; if they were willing to work for two years in one of the lodges, and proved useful students, they might apply for entrance to the inner circle, when they would begin to. see and understand tho real meaning of theosophy. The speaker wont on to refer to the cultivated powers by which a theosophist was able to temporarily serve his body and confer with other souls in former generations. She might be asked, again, why she did not leave her body at her public addresses, by way of demonstration. She doubted if she could do it, for such an operation required deep concentration of thought and strict seclusion j moreover, the flight of tho soul from the body would be visible only to a. clairvoyant; to others there would bo no apparent happening more than that the body appeared to be asleep, Miss Christie proceeded to explain tho theoaophioal significance of sleep, when one's sonl left one's body, and was left connected only by a silver thread. Many people attached no importance to dreams but theosophy taught their significance. When, the body slept the soul loft connected with the body, but when death occurred the -contact was broken, and the spirit left the body in a hovering cloud. In conclusion the lecturer said that the real work of the thoosophical society was the building of character; if one trained one’s character one would feel and reap the benefit.