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women considerably outnumber men. Indirect evidence of this fact was revealed by
the preponderance of women over men among those who came to Theosophy from the
various Christian churches; which was offset by the preponderance of men over
women among those who had previously been members of no religious organizations.
Geographically the distribution revealed that the strength of the movement lies
in the Middle West. Illinois, California, and New York are the headquarters of
the Society, and the replies indicated that the most active Theosophists were
concentrated in these areas. New England and the South (with the exception of
Florida) show only a very slight membership.
As to the matter of the former religious connections, the figures brought out
several interesting facts. The complete table follows:
Methodists . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Greek Catholics . . . . . . . . 2
Episcopalians . . . . . . . . . . 26
Christian (unspecified) . . . 2
Presbyterians . . . . . . . . . . 11
Spiritualists . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Congregationalists . . . . . . 10
Atheists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Lutherans . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Reformed . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Roman Catholics . . . . . . . 8
Masonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Baptists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Freethinkers . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Unitarians . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Agnostic . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Jewish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Non-Church . . . . . . . . . . 27
Aligning these into significant groups we get:
Evangelicals . . . . . . . . . . . .69
Episcopalians . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Catholics . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Non-Church . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
Scattering . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
 193
As might be expected, those who had been Episcopalians were most numerous in the
East and South. The Evangelical denominations were, of course, most strongly
represented in the Middle West, and they prove to be the most fertile soil for
the inroads of Theosophy. The reasons for this fact are suggested below. About
eighteen per cent of the respondents explicitly spoke of themselves as still
Christians. About ten per cent came to Theosophy through an interest in psychic
phenomena, healing or magic, of whom about fifty per cent came from Evangelical
churches and none from the Catholic churches. The number of those who came to
Theosophy from non-church environments is seen to be a fairly large proportion
of the total. As to this element Illinois showed the heaviest rating, with
California next, though the group was on the whole fairly evenly distributed
over the country. Those from the non-church group supplied a disproportionately
large percentage of the most active workers and leaders. The Liberal Catholic
members seemed to come almost exclusively from the Episcopalian and the
Evangelical groups, and those who had been Catholics were practically
negligible. The reasons given for the abandonment of their former faiths to
embrace Theosophy are of interest. Theosophy came in the main to people who had
already experienced a pronounced distaste for the creeds of the churches.
However suddenly the transfer of loyalty and faith may have come, the way
thereto had apparently been long in preparation. There is in the letters either
a tacit inference or a direct statement that the espousal of Theosophy was
largely attributable to the failure of the churches in meeting their
intellectual needs. The increasing inadequacy of the church doctrines made
Theosophy seem richer, or, to put the same fact positively, the largeness of the
Theosophical system made Christian theology seem impoverished. The percentage of
those explicitly noting their dissatisfaction with the churches was 47, while
almost all the remainder emphasized the positive intellectual stimulation given
them by Theosophy. However, such vague personal testimony must be received with
a measure of caution until we estimate what particular elements were most
effective.
While the specific motives for shifting from religious regularity, or from no
institutional or creedal anchorage over to a new and exotic cult, have been
quite variously set forth by the respondents, almost all of them used the
general formula: Theosophy rendered life more intelligible than any other
system. All the more detailed statements as to the reason for faith in Theosophy
are but amplifications of this one theme. It is the only cult, we are told, that
furnishes to the seeker after light and understanding an adequate rational
support for the assumption of Law, Order, Love, Wisdom, Purpose, and
Intelligence in the Course of Things. A closer examination into the meaning of
these phrases soon reveals that certain specific issues were uppermost.
Theosophy appeared to reconcile science (especially evolutionary science) with
religion; it enlarged the moral drama to the vast proportions of cosmic epochs
demanded by evolution. It gave a teleological explanation of evolution which was
nevertheless not narrowly anthropocentric, and an explanation of the origin of
evil which was not arbitrary or cruel. Then, too, as many replies definitely
stated, the doctrine of reincarnation was regarded as an improvement over the
orthodox doctrine of resurrection, day of judgment, heaven and hell, as well as
over the vague liberal doctrine of immortality. And the law of Karma was felt to
be more rational than salvation by forgiveness, vicarious atonement, or "faith"
or "grace." Some of the writers found a higher form of theism in Theosophy, but
the majority said little about God, and were quite content to substitute
meditation and study for praying to a personal God. Here are a few typical
statements:
"Theosophy answered the great problems. It made life intelligible on the basis
of Love, Law, Intelligence."
 194
"Orthodoxy nowhere furnished a satisfactory solution to the riddles of life."
"Theosophy presented a logical and reasonable theory of life,which in turn
served as an inspiration to self-discipline and right living. It provides the
only sure 'ground for morals.'"
"The general narrowness and inconsistency of religions and particularly their
inability to explain wrong and suffering turned me away from the churches.
Theosophy brought satisfaction, peace and happiness."
"Theosophy reconciled science and religion with each other, and both with
philosophy, and me with all of them in one great synthesis."
"Theosophy gave me a satisfying philosophy of life and religion and restored me [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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