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8
KARMAYOGIN.
THEOSOPHY AND HINDUISM.
The
The
The Theosophical Society in India has passed through three phases. In Madame Blavatsky's time, it was known as a Bud movement, for both the founders were Buddhists by conversion. But both Were Bud were uncompromising enemies of Christianity and professed regard for Hinduism, and made the Theosophical Society poplar. The second period commenced with Mrs. Besant's coming to India. She came with a well-known reputation behind her an that of an anti-Christian and t ad a Freethinker, one who had suffered much from the hands of bigoted Christians. simple Hindus welcomed her as their champion agianst their Christian assailanta The simple Hindus weicormed her as their champion against their Christian Their enthusiasm reached a burning point when they learned that she had assumed Hinduism, and under the guidance of a well-known mystic of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh was initiated into Hindu modes of worship. This lastod for some years. It was this phase of the theosophical Society that saw the establishment of the Hindu College in Henares. Money poured in whenever she appealed to Hindus for it. But that phase has also passed. The Theosophical Society has now come under the influence of one who at one time was a Christian clergyman in holy orders, and is now a Buddhist. But he has not forgotten his old love and many think that he is a Christian missionary in disguise. Sinen Mrs. Besant came under his influence and returned the symbol of her once Ishta Dera to her Hindu teacher, she has become suddenly popular with the Christian community; and in her recent Tocont in England her tures were fully reported a widely circulated Christian paper called the Christian Commonwealth. No wonder that she is taken in England as a free-lance Christian missionary and her Hindu College as an institution to teach pure Christianity. Nor has she done anything
tour
lec
of
A union of Art with labour, which union is the essential characteristic all craftsmanship. It is no longer possible for enlture and refinement to come to the workmen through his work. It must be won, if won at all, inspite of his work; he must seek them in a brief hour snatch-dhist ed from rest and sleep, at the expense of life itself. Further, he has not the even capacity for idling, but must continually werk amusement and excitement. There can.in short, be no quality of leisure in his
work.
The results of labour-saving machinery have been less intelligent work for the producer. Not merely is the workman, through division of labour, no longer able to make any whole thing : not only is he confined to making small parts of things, but it is impossible for him to improve his position, or to win reward for excellence in the craft itself. Under Fastern guild conditions, it was possible and usual for the apprentice to rise through all the grades of knowledge and experience to But the position of a master-craftsman. take any such trade as carpet-making under modern conditions by power looms The operator has no longer to design to weave in and out the threads with his own ingers. He is employed in reality not as a carpet-weaver, but as the tender of a machine. He may rise to a higher place, it is true, but it is to the place of a man responsible for the successful runing of many machines by many men. That for him craft in destroyed as R of culture, and community has lost one more man's nelligence. For is obviously futile to attempt to build up by evening classes and free librasies, what the whole
meals
the
a man's work in for over breaking down. It is instructive to compare the still living but fast disappearing relics
the union of Art with Labour in h East with the results of Western endeavours through education and free libraries to rostore that general culture which cannot under commercialism exist. The Dawn and Dawnsociety's Magrzine.
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tidisabuse the British pule of this notion. On the contrary, she he lecturing there on the coming of Christ This new Theosophical revelation vonchsafed to the gentleman already referr ed to in that the Christ will take birth soon, within the life-time of many of w and that the Theosophical Society is meant to clear the way for him; so that the public may not discard him, an he was discarded when he last appeared. If a Moslem preaches the near approach of the Mehdi we call him a fanatic, but when Mrs. Besant preaches the coming of Christ there are Hindus who call themselves orthodox, who swallow the stuff with avidity. No wonder if the Hindu College is in looked upon with suspicion by all Hindus who are not under the glamour of this divinely gifted orator. We are sincere admirers of Mrs. Besant but if she goes on preaching the coming of Christ to Hindus as she has done in. England, aud' in some places in India also, the days of the Theosophical Society in India are numberd, especially among the Hindus. regards the Hindu College, Benares, it in high time to place it under some truly orthodox Hindu. We have nothing to say against the present Principal. He is v popular with the boys and is an honorary worker. We are all greatful to him, and to devoted work. ers like him, but a Hindu College is bet ter ander a born Hindu who is also orthodox.
As
A HINDU F. T. 8. Modern Review.
THE INDIAN NATION BUILDERS PART I & II
Each part contains an interesting collection of the lives and speeches of twelve eminent Inidans with their portraits.
Part 1-Re. 1, Part II-Re. 1-8.
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