ous and dishonourable
accusations which poisoned her years of triumph, and with which it has
been sought to tarnish her memory. In these days we slander our
prophets instead of killing them--a procedure which may cause them
greater suffering, but has no effect upon the spread of their doctrines.

Madame Blavatsky's philosophy is set forth in a series of elaborate
works of which the chief are _The Secret Doctrine_, the _Key to
Theosophy_, and _Isis Unveiled_, constituting, according to the author,
a key to the mysteries of ancient and modern science and theology. To
this medley of thoughts and facts drawn from the mystical wisdom of all
countries and all ages, the magic of the writer's style gives a
peculiar force and flavour, and though she may not always convince, she
certainly offers food for thought and speculation--which is, perhaps,
even more essential.

Her frequent lack of precision and clearness seems only to enhance the
effect of her affirmations and revelations. A prophet who could easily
be understood by intelligences of all grades would soon come to grief,
for religious teachers, like philosophers and metaphysicians, seem to
be esteemed and admired largely in proportion to the vagueness of their
doctrines. The works of Madame Blavatsky are worthy of being classed
among the most obscure, and for that very reason have every chance of
endurance.

In spite of the differences that arose among the principal Theosophists
(who included Colonel Olcott, William Q. Judge, and Annie Besant) after
their leader's death, Catherine Tingley succeeded in rallying large
numbers of the American believers to her banner, and founded a colony
at Point Loma, California, under the name of "the universal and
theosophical brotherhood," which was approved by the Theosophical
conferences held in New York and Chicago in 1898.

Theosophy is in fact a philosophy of altruism, whose main tenets are
brotherly love and justice. By following truth the soul becomes
purified, and after a life consecrated to others and guided by the laws
of justice, the individual may hope to reincarnate in some higher form.
As the poet of Sakuntala has said--"In other existences we all have
loved and wept"--but the divine Kalidasa teaches that past lives should
not be spoken of, "for the mystery of rebirth is sacred."

The duality of our being is shown, on the one hand, in our earthly sins
and failures, and on the other in the spiritual aspirations wh