THE ESOTERIC BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY . OR Theosopby and Christian Doctrine BY Wn. KINGSLAND Fellow of the Theosophical Society AUTHOR OF *‘ THE HIGHER SCIENCE ”, ‘‘ CONCEPTS OF EVOLU- TION AND RELIGION ”, ‘¢ THEOSOPHY AND ORTHODOXY ", “* THE MYSTIC QUEST”, &c. “« That which is called the Christian Religion existed among the ancients, and never did not exist, from the beginning of the human race until Christ came in the flesh, at which time the true religion which already existed began to be called Christianity. ” St. Augustine, LONDON THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING SOCIETY 7, DUKE ST. ADELPHI, W. C. THE ‘' PATH”, 144, MADISON AVENUE, NEW-YORK, U.S.A. ‘« THEOSOPHIST " OFFICE, ADYAR, MADRAS, INDIA 1895 (ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)PRINTED IN BELGIUMPREFACE Part I. of the following Essays was published in pamphlet form in April, 1891. Part II. was publish- ed in the same manner in 1893. Parts III. and IV. are now offered as a further contribution, together with an Introduction, which, it is hoped, will make the whole subject clearer to those who have not hitherto had any acquaintance whatever with Theosophical literature, and Theosophical teach- ings. A certain amount of technicality will, I trust, be pardoned by those who are not Theosophical students. Hints and phrases are sometimes used which ‘are only intended for Thcosophists ; their explanation would entail an amount of matter which could not be introduced in these, somewhat fragmentary, Essays. It remains to add that the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY is not responsible for any of the opinions herein expressed ,since the members of that Society are not pledged individually or collectively to any creed, doctrine, or interpretation ; save only tovi the principle of UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. This work, therefore, must be considered merely as setting forth the author’s interpretation of the Esoteric Philosophy of the Secret Doctrine known more generally as- Theosophy, in its relation to Christian Doctrine. THE AUTHOR. January, 1895.CONTENTS PAGE IntropuctioON 6 we we ee ee ek Parr I. Txeosoprny ann Curtstian Doctrine . 1 ” Il, Genesis . . 8 a Nl) ae 0G0s ec 0S. » IV. Tue Gospe.. . 2. - » 154INTRODUCTION The title of this work, the Esoteric Basis of Christianity, implies the existence of a foundation or origin of the Christian religion other than that which is commonly accepted. It also implies that there are some hidden or inner truths or doctrines which lie deeper than those forms, creeds, or doctrines which are associated with the term Christian in the popular conception. The historical difficulties of the Bible narrative, the want of reliable information respecting the central figure of the Gospels, the uncertainty respecting the date and authorship of the various books of the Old and New Testaments, the obscurity of the early centu- ries of the Christian era, and the astonishing contradictions among various sections of the Chris- tian community respecting the very essentials of their faith, though all claim their authority from the same records : these matters are well known to all who have passed beyond the mere Bible-class curriculum, and are seeking for more light and certainty than can be afforded from the orthodox 4ii THE ESOTERIC BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY presentations. They find but little encouragement in their search, from the accredited teachers of the religion they are seeking to understand. Their very attitude of mind is regarded as a want of faith, and they are repelled and alienated where they should find sympathy and help. There are thousands of such, to whom the traditional teachings have become for ever imposs- ible, but who still feel that behind the exoteric forms and records there is a real basis of truth, which those forms serve to conceal rather than to reveal. Such a basis is presented in Theosophy, and we shall now attempt to outline its teachings and method in the relation of some of its funda- mental principles to Christian doctrine and tra- dition. That which has been the highest and noblest theme of human thought and aspiration in all ages, that which is the object alike of philosophy, of science, and of religion, is the Truth concerning the nature of the great First Cause, which some name God, the nature of Man, and the relation which subsists between these two, God and Man. The very slightest acquaintance with the nature of the problem, with the limitations of human knowledge contrasted with the infinitude of time and space, and the unlimited possibilities of pro- gress and evolution which lie behind and in front of the individual and the race, suggests at once that in the very nature of the case there must be‘INTRODUCTION iii a knowledge which is exoteric or revealed, in so far as it has already been discovered or made known to mankind; and an esoteric or hidden knowledge, in so far as that knowledge is still beyond his reach, is still veiled in mystery. But further than this, it is clearly seen that the knowledge which is exoteric, in so far as it has already been discovered and formulated, may be beyond the reach of any but the most highly trained intellects or the deepest intuitions, and must therefore be esoteric for the great majority. Any religion, or philosophy, or science which is to be presented in a popular form, in a form which can touch the minds of the masses, must be pre- sented in popular language, in language, that is to say, of common and familiar experiences of every- day life. But in doing this, the subject presented is degraded and obscured just in proportion as it is one requiring the utmost refinements of language and thought. In philosophy, this is well recognis- ed; and very little attempt is made to popularise this department of human research, because any such attempt would necessarily stultify the result. In science, all that is popularised is the merest externals of the phenomena of the world of sense perception ; and it is well understood that a man must qualify himself by much arduous work, if he would understand well a mere portion of the results which have been already attained in the field of inductive research.iv THE ESOTERIC BASIS OF CHRISTIANITY But when we come to religion, to that which should be the height and depth of all knowledge, which should unite philosophy and science, and claim as its own their utmost efforts and furthest results, we find quite a different method; an assumption of superiority and an independent order of phenomena, which separates it from all other departments of human experience, and makes of it the great exception. We speak in this respect not of religion per se, considered apart from any particular forms or creeds, but of the Christian religion in its tradi- tional methods and ecclesiastical authority. The effects of that tradition and authority are too clearly written on the page of history, for any mistake to be made as to the relation which it bears, in its authoritative presentation, to science and philosophy. The influence of ecclesiasticism has ever been on the side of darkness and bond- age, not for freedom and light. The darkness and cruelty of the Christian era has been deepest, when the authority of the Church was most supreme. Every advance in knowledge and freedom during the present century has been won in the face of bitter opposition on the part of orthodox religion. It is little wonder, therefore, that at the present day”, thinking men and women of all classes should find themselves compelled. to repudiate Christi- anity ; that science and philosophy will have none ofit; and that even social and moral reforms areINTRODUCTION v brought about in spite of, rather than through its influence and initiative. Were it not ‘‘ Bible truth ”, it would be con- sidered the greatest insult to human reason, that any should be found who could accept as history the Bible narratives. But the children of Christian parents are brought up by the million to accept the Bible as literal history, presumably because their adult parents do so also, From thousands of pul- pits,and in thousands of Sunday schools, the Bible stories are put forward as reliable history. The result is deplorable, and is seen in two ways: in the narrowness and bigotry of ‘ orthodoxy ’, cramping and warping the judgment and _intui- tion; and in a reaction which throws men alto- gether out of a religion which they have discovered to have been playing them false, into a life of irreligion, if not of positive vice. We can excuse childish things in children, but it is lamentable to find that the teachers and leaders should thus discredit their religion with those who are no longer babes. If it were well recognised that religion, like philosophy and science, is necessarily progressive ; that it has its outer or popular form, and its inner or esoteric aspects; and if it were a legitimate step for all who were qualified to pass naturally from the exoteric to the esoteric, finding at each step those who could initiate them into a deeper know- Icdge, which would harmonise their own expe-