Re: Theos-World Besant's Inaugural Address
Dec 04, 2008 08:14 AM
by Martin
The guy who shot him had blanks, the secret service was in the bushes to finish him. He had to shoot him with blanks, since he murdered some1 else years before and was pardonned if he did this in return...
--- On Thu, 12/4/08, christinaleestemaker <christinaleestemaker@yahoo.com> wrote:
From: christinaleestemaker <christinaleestemaker@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Theos-World Besant's Inaugural Address
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, December 4, 2008, 4:56 PM
It is more extreme in your country.Forgotten JFKennedy, that was long
before such murders happened in our country.
By the way they hit Pim Fortuyn with a creme pie in his face a month
before another one shoot him.
Christina
--- In theos-talk@yahoogro ups.com, Drpsionic@.. . wrote:
>
> Well, we don't get quite that extreme in this country. One of the
best
> moments of the 1970s was when the boy-guru Guru Maharaj ji was hit
in face with a
> pie.
>
> Thus to all leaders!
>
> Chuck the Heretic
>
>
> In a message dated 12/4/2008 3:56:22 A.M. Central Standard Time,
> christinaleestemake r@... writes:
>
>
>
>
> They did here with Pim Fortuyn, he started a new governmentgroup
> ( STOP immigration in our country) and what you think happened
after,
> he has been shoot by a vegetarian after his visit television
studio.
> Dead!!!
>
> Christina
>
> --- In _theos-talk@ yahoogrotheos- t_ (mailto:theos-
talk@yahoogroups. com) ,
> Drpsionic@, Dr
> >
> > Someone should have hit her in the face with a pie too.
> >
> > Chuck the Heretic (who thinks that who claim leadership
positions
> need to be
> > hit with a pie in the face every once in a while)
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 12/3/2008 9:09:11 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> > mkr777@ writes:
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Sometime ago, one of our fellow theosophists sent me the
Inaugural
> Address
> > of Annie Besant. Before she came to theosophy, she was involved
in
> many
> > social issues in England and after moving ot India, she
continued
> to be very
> > active in many of them and even today, for this she is
remembered
> in India.
> > She also got involved in Indian Independence Movement and was
the
> only
> > non-Indian to be elected as the President of Indian National
> Congress.
> >
> > Both HSO & HPB were instrumental in social humanitarian
activities
> to help
> > the depressed and poor classes in India. After Besant, there is
a
> disconnect
> > world-wide between the leaders and their activities relating to
> local social
> > issues of the day. They all seem to be happy and content to stay
> in their
> > cocoons and of course with computers, happily keyboarding. I
think
> this
> > disconnect may have something to do with the dismal membership
> situation
> > world-wide except in India.
> >
> > Some of you may find Besant's Address of interest.
> >
> > MKR
> >
> > ============ ==== ====
> >
> > INAUGURAL ADDRESS OF ANNIE BESANT
> >
> > June 26, 1907
> >
> > Dear Friends:
> >
> > By an overwhelming majority you have ratified the nomination of
> our
> > President-Founder, made by his Master's order, and have called
upon
> me to
> > take up work as his successor in the high office of President of
> the
> > Theosophical Society. The Society, as a whole, has thus chosen
to
> continue
> > in the path marked out from its inception, and trodden by its
two
> outer
> > Founders; it has refused to reject the guiding Hand which gave
it
> its first
> > President, and indicated its second; it therefore goes forward
on
> its new
> > cycle of activity, with its elected President at its head, under
> the
> > benediction which rested upon it at its birth and is now
repeated,
> as the
> > chosen vehicle for the direct influence of the Masters of WISDOM
> on the
> > world, as the standard-bearer of the mighty Theosophical
Movement
> which is
> > sweeping through all religions, all literature, all art, all
> craft, through
> > all the activities of a humanity preparing itself to take a new
> step forward
> > in civilization.
> >
> > The Society asserts itself as a nucleus of Universal
Brotherhood,
> and its
> > specialty, as such a nucleus, is indicated by its nameâ
> â?¬"Theosophical. It is
> > its function to proclaim and spread abroad Theosophy, the Divine
> Wisdom, the
> > Brahma Vidy�¢, the Gnosis, the Light of all lights, that Man may
> know God,
> > may attain the knowledge which is Eternal Life, because he is
> himself of
> > that Nature which he seeks to know.
> >
> > On this fact, this all-pervading identity of nature, this UNITY,
> is based
> > the Universal Brotherhood, and, to bring the outer proofs of it,
> it searches
> > through all religions and philosophies, and dives into the
hidden
> secrets of
> > nature and of man.
> >
> > Because of this fact, it welcomes to its membership men and
women
> of all
> > religions, of all opinions, and, provided that they recognize the
> > Brotherhood as universal, it demands from them no belief in any
> fact,
> > however sure, in any teaching, however vital. With a splendid
> faith in the
> > victorious power of Truth, it disregards all the barriers which
> > superficially divide Humanityâ�"sex, race, creed, colour, casteâ
> â?¬"and welcomes
> > those as brothers who deny even the very truths on which
> Brotherhood is
> > based, and who reject even the Revealers who make its
realization
> possible
> > for Humanity. Its platform is as wide as thought, its all-
> embracing love is
> > as the sun which gives warmth and life to all, even to those who
> are blind
> > to its light.
> >
> > The condition of the continuing life of the Society is its
perfect
> > toleration of all differences, of all shades of opinion. None
has
> the right
> > to exclude his brother for difference of thought, nor to claim
for
> his own
> > thought a fuller liberty of expression than he claims for that
of
> another.
> > Complete liberty of thought must be guarded by all of usâ�"by
me,
> as your
> > President, most of allâ�"not granted as a privilege or a
> concession, but
> > recognized as the inherent right of the intellect, as its breath
> of life.
> > Tolerance, even with the intolerant, must be our rule. And this
> must be our
> > principle in life and action, not only in words, lest a fatal
> orthodoxy,
> > checking new initiative and new growth, should stealthily spread
> in the
> > Society. We must welcome differences of thought, and give free
> play to their
> > expression, so that our windows may be kept open to all new
light.
> This is
> > not only sound principle, but it is also sound policy, for thus
> only can new
> > avenues to knowledge constantly open before us. We possess only
> portions of
> > the Truth, and no searcher must be hindered or frowned upon,
lest
> the
> > Society should lose some fragment that he may have found. Better
> the
> > temporary life of a thousand falsehoods, than stifling of one
> truth at the
> > hour of its birth. I claim the help of every Theosophist in this
> guarding of
> > our liberty, for universal and constant vigilance is necessary
> lest it
> > should be infringed.
> >
> > But let it not be supposed that this perfect freedom of opinion
> connotes
> > indifference to truth in any who hold definite convictions as to
> any facts,
> > or should prevent them from full expression of their own
> convictions, of
> > their beliefs, or of their knowledge. There is perfect freedom of
> > affirmation among us as well as of denial, and scepticism must
not
> claim
> > greater rights of expression than knowledge. For the Society as
a
> whole, by
> > its very name, affirms the existence of the Divine Wisdom, and
the
> > affirmation would be futile if that Wisdom were beyond human
> attainment.
> > Moreover, the Society would be without a reason for its being if
> it did not,
> > as a whole, spread the Teachings which lead up to the attainment
> of that
> > Wisdom, while leaving to its members as individuals the fullest
> freedom to
> > give to any of those teachings any form which expresses their
own
> thinking,
> > and even to deny any one of them. Each Truth can only be seen by
a
> man as he
> > develops the power of vision corresponding to it; the Society,
by
> refusing
> > to impose on its members any expressions of Truth, does not mean
> that a man
> > should remain blind, but declares that man's power of vision
> increases in
> > the open air of freedom better than in the hot-houses of
> unreasoned beliefs.
> > Hence the Society does not impose on its members even the truths
> by which it
> > lives, although the denial of those truths by it, as a Society,
> would be
> > suicide.
> >
> > The Theosophical Society thus offers to the thinkers of every
> religion and
> > of none a common platform, on which they may meet as Lovers of
> Truth, to
> > learn from and to teach each other; it stands as the herald of
the
> coming
> > time when all religions shall see themselves as branches of One
> Religion,
> > the WISDOM of GOD. As its President, I say to all men of peace
and
> goodwill:
> > "Come, and let us labour together for the establishment of the
> kingdom of
> > religious Truth, religious Peace, and religious Freedom upon
earthâ
> â?¬"the true
> > Kingdom of Heaven."
> >
> > So much for our principles. What of our practice?
> >
> > We owe to the President-Founder a well-planned organization,
> combining
> > complete divisional liberty with the strength ensured by
> attachment to a
> > single centre. Some details may need amendment, but the work of
> organization
> > is practically complete. Our work is to use the organization he
> created, and
> > to guide it to the accomplishment of its purposeâ�"the spread of
> Theosophical
> > ideas, and the growth of our knowledge.
> >
> > For the first, our Lodges should not be content with a programme
of
> > lectures, private and public, and with classes. The members
should
> be known
> > as good workers in all branches of beneficent activity. The
Lodge
> should be
> > the centre, not the circumference, of our work. To the Lodge for
> inspiration
> > and knowledge; to the world for service and teaching. The
members
> should
> > take part in local clubs, societies, and debating associations,
> and should
> > both offer Theosophical lectures, and lectures in which
> Theosophical ideas
> > can be put forth on the questions of the day. They should, when
> members of
> > religious bodies, hold classes outside the Society for members
of
> their
> > faith, in which the spiritual, instead of the literal meaning of
> Hindu,
> > Buddhist, Christian, and other doctrines should be explained,
and
> the lives
> > of the great mystics of all religions should be taught. They
> should see that
> > children receive religious education, according to their
> respective faiths.
> > They should in every way hand on the light which they have
> received, and
> > replenish their own torch with oil at the Lodge meetings.
> >
> > People belonging to kindred movements should be invited to the
> Lodge, and
> > visits should be paid to them in turn. Lodges with a numerous
> membership
> > should form groups for special work. For the second, the growth
of
> our
> > knowledge, groups should be formed for study under each of our
> Objects.
> > Under the first, the intellectual and social movements of the
day
> should be
> > studied, their tendencies traced out and their methods examined;
> the results
> > of these studies would help the outside workers in their choice
of
> > activities. It would be useful also if, in every Lodge, a small
> group of
> > members were formed, harmonious in thought and feeling, who
should
> meet once
> > a week for a quiet hour, for combined silent thought for a given
> purpose,
> > and for united meditation on some inspiring idea; the members of
> this group
> > might also agree on a time at which, daily, they should unite in
a
> selected
> > thought-effort to aid the Lodge. Another group should study
under
> the second
> > Object, and this group should supply lecturers on Theosophy to
the
> outer
> > world, and no lecturer should be sent out by a Lodge who was not
> equipped
> > for his work by such study. A third group might take up the
third
> Object of
> > the Society, and work practically at research, carrying on their
> work, if
> > possible, under the direction of a member who has already some
> experience on
> > these lines, and thus increasing our store of knowledge.
> >
> > There are many other lines of useful work which should be taken
> up, series
> > of books to be planned, concerted activities in various lands.
> These are for
> > the future. But I trust to make the Presidency a centre of life-
> radiating
> > force, inspiring and uplifting the whole Society.
> >
> > In order that it may be so, let me close with a final word to
all
> who have
> > aided and to all who have worked against me in the election now
> over. We all
> > are lovers of the same Ideal, and eager servants of Theosophy.
Let
> us all
> > then work in amity, along our different lines and in our
different
> ways, for
> > our beloved Society. Let not those who have worked for me expect
> me to be
> > always right, nor those who have worked against me expect me to
be
> always
> > wrong. Help me, I pray you all, in filling well the office to
> which I have
> > been elected, and share with me the burden of our common work.
> Where you
> > agree with me follow and work with me; where you disagree,
> criticize and
> > work against me, but without bitterness and rancour. Diversities
> of method,
> > diversities of thought, diversities of operation, will enrich,
not
> weaken,
> > our Movement, if love inspire and charity judge. Only through
you
> and with
> > you can the Presidency be useful to the Society. Help me so to
> fill it as to
> > hand it on, a richer legacy, to my successor. And so may the
> Masters guide
> > and prosper the work which they have given into my hands, and
> blessed.
> >
> > ---xxx---
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ************ ************ <WBR>**Make your life easier with all
you
> and
> > favorite sites in one place. Try it now.
> > (_http://www.aol. http://www. http_ (http://www.aol. com/?
optin=new-)
> dp&icid=aolcom40van ici&ncid= ncid=<WBR> emlcntncid=
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>
>
>
>
> ************ **Make your life easier with all your friends, email,
and
> favorite sites in one place. Try it now.
> (http://www.aol. com/?optin= new-
dp&icid=aolcom40van ity&ncid= emlcntaolcom0000 0010)
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[Back to Top]
Theosophy World:
Dedicated to the Theosophical Philosophy and its Practical Application
