cline of faith in the old theology and the silent acceptance of
new ideas by the church people of America, the rapid spread of
infidelity and aggressive agnosticism, and the hold which Modern
Spiritualism under various disguises now has upon the people, premise
tremendous changes, and indicate a new era of spiritual thought--an
era of better and sweeter life for mankind we trust.

Men and women who think alike will act together when prejudices born
of old names, partisan rivalries and personal animosities are
outgrown. A new philosophy with a new name, made up of the old truths
with new refinements and elaborations, will unite the liberal-minded
in a fraternity of thought based on a better understanding of
spiritual truths, and clearer comprehension of the importance to
humanity, of liberty, justice and love.

This new religion, if we mistake not the signs of the times, will or
does partake largely of theosophic and Buddhistic metaphysics and is
not, therefore, to be despised by our best thinkers. Buddhism
corrupted by Brahmic theocracy--as Christianity by Mosaic rites, by
papistic theology and sectarian piety--has come to us as a morbid
asceticism or worse, delighting in self-inflicted individual tortures
and revelling in unthinkable contradictions. This conception of it is
probably false and due more to deficiencies of language and
unreceptive habit of metaphysical thought than to perversity of ideas.
A system of highest ethics, and a religion without a personal God,
Buddhism deifies the soul of man and exalts the individual through
countless experiences of physical embodiment into a position of
apparently infinite wisdom--a condition beyond phenomenal existence
and of course indescribable. It neither annihilates life in nirvana
nor admits immortal existence as we understand existence--i.e., in a
perpetually objective form of some sort. It is better in some
respects, though older, than Christism. Buddhas and Christs alike, we
are taught, are only men sent from celestial congress to direct their
fellow men into higher paths leading to incomprehensible perfections,
and they are not more "gods" than other men, save in their greater
experience.

Theosophy is to Buddhism what Modern Spiritualism is to
Christianity--an acceptance of fundamental truths and rejection of
priestly ceremonials; an adoption of the spirit and denial of the
letter; an application of principles and ideas to real life and
claiming not only to hav