ON “THEOSOPHISM” IN INDIA

[The Theosophist, Vol. III, No. 4, January, 1882, p. 106]

[H. P. B. comments on various slanderous remarks by a missionary organ with regard to India and the alleged mischief caused by “Theosophism.” The writer says that “there is straitness in Christian morality; there is little scope for audacious speculation in a system whose prime requisite is that the recipient should become as a little child . . .” To this H. P. B. remarks:]

A very little one we should say; one not old enough to question the moral regenerating influences of opium-eating and toddy-drinking, and all that follows suit hand in hand with civilization.

[Her closing Editorial Note is as follows:]

That will suffice for one pious and charitable article, the merely slanderous portions of which we have omitted, and some of whose sentences we have italicised. Let us hope that the “conceited,” “learnedly ignorant,” marvel-swallowing Hindus may now see, if they never did before, with what benevolent respect they are regarded in England by the Church Missionary Society. How could their “sceptical and unregenerate minds,” “demoralized by the secular training of Indian Universities,” do otherwise than turn from the proffered blessings of a religion which has sent to India such a host of exemplars of the “straitness in Christian morality”? Even the “charlatancy” of “Theosophism” is better than that; for the Theosophists neither drink, nor smoke opium, nor insult their feelings, nor make money out of them, nor baptize the starving babies of dead or dying parents and call them fancy names, such as “brands plucked from the burning,” etc. If the London Padris want to stop India from turning Theosophist they must adopt fairer measures than abuse and slander.

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