Theosophical University Press Online Edition Articles from Theosophy — April 1896 to October 1897 Editors: E. T. Hargrove / Katherine Tingley and E. A. Neresheimer Volume 11 – Volume 12 VOLUME 11 Number 1 — April 1896 6 - The Metaphysical Character of the Universe – E. T. Hargrove 11 - The Vow of Poverty – Jasper Niemand 14 - H. P. B. was not Deserted by the Masters – W. Q. Judge 19 - Historical Epochs in Theosophy – J. D. Buck 23 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas – Basil Crump (I - Introductory) 27 - Death of William Q. Judge Number 2 — May 1896 58 - The Significance of the Present Time – C. F. Wright Number 3 — June 1896 75 - The Lessons of a Noble Life – Katharine Hillard Number 4 — July 1896 106 - Paul the Initiate: I – C. 110 - The Three Qualities – F. Hartmann (goodness, desire, ignorance) 113 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: II – Basil Crump (II - The flying Dutchman) Number 5 — August 1896 135 - A Weird Tale: I – W. Q. Judge 142 - The Conversion of Paul: II – C. 147 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: III – Basil Crump (III - Tannhäuser) Number 6 — September 1896 169 - A Weird Tale: II – W. Q. Judge 172 - Nature's Veils – Jasper Niemand 183 - The Lonely Sentinel – Katharine Hillard 185 - Occultism in the Upanishads – C. J. Number 7 — October 1896 199 - The Moral Law of Compensation – An ex-Asiatic (W. Q. Judge) 206 - Fragments: I – Cavé 208 - Paul's Use of Divine Names – C. 212 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: IV – Basil Crump (IV - Lohengrin) Number 8 — November 1896 233 - Jacob Boehme and the Secret Doctrine – W. Q. Judge 238 - Theosophy in the Apocrypha: I – Katharine Hillard (I - Esdras) 245 - Theosophy in the Home – Julia W. L. Keightley Number 9 — December 1896 262 - On the Future: A Few Reflections – W. Q. Judge 269 - Theosophy in the Apocrypha: II – Katharine Hillard (The wisdom of Solomon) 272 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: V – Basil Crump (V - The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) Number 10 — January 1897 302 - Fragments: II – Cavé 305 - Cyclic Impression and Return and our Evolution: I – W. Q. Judge 312 - A Mystical Poem – Vera Johnston Number 11 — February 1897 327 - Cyclic Impression and Return and our Evolution: II – W. Q. Judge 336 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: VI-1 – Basil Crump (VI - The Ring of the Nibelung: Part I - The Rhinegold) 347 - Brotherhood - A Fact in Nature – Archibald Keightley Number 12 — March 1897 359 - Cyclic Impression and Return and our Evolution: III – W. Q. Judge 364 - Some Reflections on Music – E. C. Mayer VOLUME 12 Number 1 — April 1897 7 - Mesmerism: I – W. Q. Judge 11 - The Ancient Wisdom of the Maoris – John St. Clair 14 - Sleep and Death – Vespera Freeman 20 -The Search for Wisdom: I(By Doing Service, By Strong Search) – Katharine Hillard 25 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: VI-2 – Basil Crump (VI - The Ring of the Nibelung: Part II - The Valkyrie) Number 2 — May 1897 37 -Mesmerism: II – W. Q. Judge 51 - The Search for Wisdom: II(By Questions, By Humility) – Katharine Hillard 54 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: VI-3 – Basil Crump (VI - The Ring of the Nibelung: Part III - Siegfried) Number 3 — June 1897 69 - The Sheaths of the Soul – W. Q. Judge 91 - Health and Disease – A. Keightley 96 - The Genesis and Pre-Natal Life – Alexander Wilder 103 - Mystics and Mysticism in Christianity – J. D. Buck 109 - Capital Punishment – E. L. Rexford 115 - For Ever Free – transl. by C. Johnston (Crest Jewel of Wisdom) 118 - The World of Science: I – L. G. (Introduction) Number 4 — July 1897 133 - The Essence of the Teaching – trans. by C. Johnston (Vakya Sudha) 149 - Theosophy Generally Stated – W. Q. Judge 155 - Why I Believe in Reincarnation – J. D. Buck 158 - The Teachings of Plato – Alexander Wilder 164 - Principle or Sentiment? – J. W. L. Keightley 176 - The Inner Man – Zeta 182 - The World of Science: II – L. G. (Address by William Crookes) Number 5 — August 1897 204 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: VI-4a – Basil Crump ((VI - The Ring of the Nibelung: Part IV - The Dusk of the Gods) 213 - The Three Objects of the Theosophical Society in America: I – F. Hartmann (I, Universal Brotherhood) 217 - Buddha's Renunciation: I – transl. by C. Johnston (Ashvaghosha's Buddha Charita) 231 - Why I Believe in Reincarnation – E. A. Neresheimer 245 - The World of Science: III – L. G. Number 6 — September 1897 257 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: VI-4b – Basil Crump ((VI - The Ring of the Nibelung: Part IV - The Dusk of the Gods) 266 - Buddha's Renunciation: II – transl. by C. Johnston (Budda-Charita) 280 - Why I Believe in Reincarnation – J. A. Anderson 293 - The Teachings of Plotinos – A. Wilder Number 7 — October 1897 321 - Richard Wagner's Music Dramas: VII-1 – Basil Crump (VII - Tristan and Isolde) 328 - The Three Objects of the Theosophical Society in America: II – F. Hartmann (II, The Theosophical Teachings) 334 - Theosophy and the Poets – Katharine Hillard (I, Dante) 362 - Why I Believe in Reincarnation – G. Hijo Theosophical Society Homepage Theosophy – April 1896 THE METAPHYSICAL CHARACTER OF THE UNIVERSE — E. T. Hargrove Students of Theosophy will always owe a debt of gratitude to the author of Esoteric Buddhism for the efforts made therein to at once simplify and elaborate the teaching he received from Masters through H. P. B. But when the time had come to give the Secret Doctrine to the world, few will regret that H. P. B. took advantage of the opportunity to correct certain mistakes made in the earlier book. The letters transmitted by H. P. B. to Mr. Sinnett, published in the Occult World, clearly show the immense difficulty under which the Masters labored to express their teaching in terms that would be understandable to their recipient. Looking back over that correspondence one cannot help being struck by the nature of the questions addressed to the Masters. The replies given show that these questions were not only almost exclusively scientific, and materialistic at that, but were also such as might have well been addressed by counsel in cross-examination. This does not reflect discredit upon the author of Esoteric Buddhism, for he took up the legitimate attitude of a man of the world, who knew something about modern science, and whose mind was open to receive truth from any source that lay open to him, so long as he had been introduced to it in a reasonably orthodox manner. Such an attitude, however, sufficiently explains why his conclusions were fallacious on certain important points, based as those conclusions were on insufficient data and dealing as he was with an abstruse and unfamiliar subject. H. P. B. in the Secret Doctrine elucidated matters satisfactorily to all concerned, except to the few whose preconceptions debarred them from adopting any other view but that based upon their friend's original misinterpretation. A more recent contribution in Lucifer to the discussion of this matter demonstrates among other things the difficulty some people experience in overcoming a strong leaning towards materialism, for materialism has ample scope for its expression in Theosophy, as well as in orthodox Christianity and more directly in atheism. Such an innate tendency of the mind may be persistently maintained through many outer changes of belief, and at all times and under all conditions may be trusted to degrade and ultimately destroy all that it touches. Applied in this particular instance, it has taken a metaphysical conception such as the septenary constitution of the earth and by meditation has produced seven balls tied together with string, gummed to space, fixed by a hawser to the Absolute, and held in leash by the sun with the help of all-pervading gas, metaphorically if not actually. It may be well, therefore, to consider H. P. B.'s teaching in regard to the constitution of the earth as given in the Secret Doctrine, and to endeavor to obtain some conception of the metaphysical nature of this and every other world in space. Beginning with fundamentals, we have to bear in mind the Unity that underlies all manifestation. Manifested, that Unity can be studied under various aspects, though remaining in Itself unknown. For purposes of preliminary study it is well to take the three aspects — Consciousness, Matter or Substance, and Spirit or Life. Every atom and every universe, every event and person, every object and every subject, can be studied from each of these three standpoints; and while such things in themselves remain the same though expressed in these different terms, it will not be possible to obtain a comprehensive view of any one of them unless all three aspects are recognized and observed. To baldly state that a man has this or the other appearance will convey no true impression of his nature. He must also be described from the standpoints of consciousness and of force. Only then can we form an estimate of his character. But the real man still remains unseen and unknown. To know and see the reality we must identify ourselves with the reality, must become at one with the Root of all things. That is only possible because of the issuance of all things, man included, from this root Unity, and the consequent tendency of everything to return to its source, much as the waters of a river rushing to the sea return in the form of rain and dew to the mountains whence they came. This process of emanation may be imagined as taking place from within outwards, and the resulting absorption from without within. Emanation, beginning with the one, becomes the many, and the final result may be described as the differentiation and densification of matter; the differentiation and limitation of consciousness manifesting through this matter; the differentiation and confinement of life or force.