Among the societies and organizations in this latter-day civilization, there are many who in one way or another aim to improve the conditions of human life. However, when we look into their special fields of operation, we find that they concern themselves mostly with the outward aspect of these conditions and with the appearance of things; not one goes deep enough into the essentials nor takes cognizance of the fundamental truth that Humanity is one and indivisible. Without this concept, and without the realization of the fact that the welfare of one is the welfare of all, these endeavors are but palliatives (if nothing worse), therefore they will never succeed in establishing permanent improvement of these conditions.
The Universal Brotherhood Organization declares that Brotherhood is a fact in nature; its purpose is to teach Brotherhood, demonstrate that it is a fact in nature, and make it a living power in the Life of Humanity. This platform does not appeal at first sight to the every-day man and woman, who, as a rule, are so deeply engaged in trying to obtain a bit of the universe for themselves that there is no inclination left for the consideration of such things. But the time will come when everyone without exception, must not only become cognizant of these truths, but must bear his share of co-operative work with nature. It is quite a new science that has been born to the world by the advent of the Universal Brotherhood Organization, a new science in this respect that it affirms faculties of human nature which have hitherto been relegated to obscurity and repressed by the desire of individual assertion which was coincident with material development. This new science is the science of the soul; it teaches that the human being is more than what he appears to be or what he thinks he is.
There is an indissoluble link between all humanity, which is expressed in the sympathy of man for man. You need only to consult your own experiences. If anything happens by way of accident to anyone, or if you see a cripple, or an idiot; there is something which at once wells up in your own consciousness that is undeniably akin to fellow-feeling. The tenderness of the heart is active in all human beings, no matter how debased. Physical pains of others, the troubles and despair which they experience, give us a moral shock arousing a feeling of condolence, even compassion, and a desire to help. All this is so universal and absolutely incontrovertible, that in it we must recognize the expressions of the soul and that there is something wonderfully deep in human nature to which we have not yet given proper attention. There is also the dual aspect of human nature. Each one is capable of high aspirations and at the same time he knows that there is something base, low and mean in his make-up, and it is according to how one exercises his will and develops the one or the other side of his nature that a person comes to be what he is. But the saintliest person is not without the possibility of the opposite characteristics, nor is the vilest without the divine spark. When we go a little farther, we see that the experience of one is also the experience of all, and if we analyze the operations of our mind and note our feelings with unbiased judgment, we will know what are the feelings of others. They are the same as ours. How, then, if we are all so much alike, all having the same joys, the same aspirations, the same desires, temptations, tendencies, and failings, how can it be otherwise than that we are all a Brotherhood indeed.
Now, when you observe the processes of nature where everything proceeds according to rigid laws and order, everything tending to unfold toward progress, to become more beautiful, more perfect, may it not be that humanity in its present stage is but going through a period or part of its unfolding and progress? Yes. Logic and experience affirm this; it must be so. It is so! We are not the insignificant, silly things that we appear to be; as human beings, we are the apex, the flower of evolution, — each human being has the experience of the ages behind him, even this present life is but a day in the grand period of our existence. There was no time when we did not exist, nor can there be any time when we shall cease to be, — no one unit can be spared from the universal economy, — each one is as necessary as the other, and if it were possible to annihilate one single unit, it would be possible to annihilate the whole universe, God included. If you further observe the processes of nature, you will find that in no department is nature ever quiescent. Nature is never still, but ever changing, transforming, building, progressing, unfolding, — yet never repeating itself. Knowing this, should you venture to assert that it can be different with the human being? It can not be. Man is subject to the same laws as everything else, and having arrived at the height of physical and mental evolution to the point where he is becoming self-conscious and invested with the power and privilege of exercising free will, he has become individually responsible for every act, thought, and deed, and must go on evolving through higher and higher stages toward perfection. We are the creators of our own destinies; we are now reaping what we have sown in times past. The more potent our will, the greater the responsibility; the more power we possess, the greater our trust, the greater our liability for its right use. Every hair on our heads is accounted for; we have not one too many nor one too few. Our physical bodies, our dispositions, talents, genius or the absence of it, have been made by ourselves under the action of inflexible law, and what we will hereafter be depends upon ourselves; we are making the future in the same way as the present has been made by the past. Immeasurable heights of accomplishments are before us, all of which we must attain to in due sequence, event following event; nature does nothing by leaps or jumps, everything goes gradual, natural, correct, as it must.
When considering the absence of co-operation among men; the almost universal prevalence of unrest and dissatisfaction with present conditions of life, you may be able to appreciate the necessity of an organization like this which declares and emphasizes that Brotherhood is a fact in nature and seeks to demonstrate it. It may interest you to know that this organization has centers and lodges all over the world. It is established on the grandest principles the world has ever known, and without it, this civilization would certainly perish like others have perished before. The present period of time is one in which humanity has been going through an intellectual development, and in this one-sided development, man's larger nature is being lost sight of. We can readily imagine that if the general trend of selfishness and separateness is not arrested, dreadful consequences will ensue. The spirit of competition, unaided by attention to the duties that each man owes the other, will not permit Humanity to progress toward a state of happiness and bliss, but instead misery, waste, and ruin will be the result. There is nothing except a recognition and practice of the principles of Brotherhood that will save our civilization from' destruction.
In the wise administration of this organization every field of human progress has been considered and provided for. There is a humanitarian department called the International Brotherhood League, whose first object is "to help men and women to realize the nobility of their calling and their true position in life." This development of the Universal Brotherhood carries into practical operation the humanitarian side of the ideals of the organization. There is another department whose aim it is to emphasize music and drama as true educational factors. Another department has for its object the establishment of a world-library and the preservation of a complete system of philosophy of the origin and destiny of cosmos and man.
The philosophy on which the Universal Brotherhood is founded has existed in all ages, and during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, beginning in 1875, it was revived by H. P. Blavatsky, who founded the Theosophical Society in New York in that year. Madame Blavatsky was the author of remarkable works treating on the origin, evolution, and destiny of the universe and man. Among these works are "Isis Unveiled," "The Secret Doctrine," and "The Key to Theosophy," which have laid the foundation to a voluminous literature, all of which has been produced during the last twenty-five years. The fundamental tenets are the unity of all existing things, the essential divinity of man, and rebirth and retribution, or the demonstration of the inflexible law of cause and effect. The consideration of these leads to the invariable conclusion that human existence far antedates the present life, and that the present stage of development has been reached by gradual and successive steps and that the future is without end. A great boon has been conferred upon this civilization by the Teachers in this Movement by making such truths as: "that universal justice rules the world," "that man is essentially divine," and "that perfectibility is within his power," once more accessible to human knowledge in such a way that they can be easily understood. The sting of the fear of death, which has so long hung over Humanity like Damocles' sword, has been removed for those who can conceive themselves to be integral parts of the great economy of the universe and that they are one with the great body of Humanity.
Humanity has at no time been without its divine helpers who have aided in its spiritual development. H. P. Blavatsky was one of these Helpers. Her works will be known in due course of time, and her mission will be appreciated as being equal in importance with the accepted Teachers and Saviours of the world, like Buddha, Confucius, and Jesus. William Q. Judge, who was her immediate successor, gathered together a number of students from all parts of the world to study the philosophy and to induce them to make an attempt to live it. Under his hand the literature was preserved in its original purity and introduced and expanded to its present importance. The work of these two Leaders represents the incipient phases of the development of the movement. It was reserved, however, for the present Leader, Katherine Tingley, to develop an entirely new phase of the movement. Inasmuch as the philosophy had heretofore taken hold only theoretically, there remained the necessity for making it "a living power" in the life of those who preached it; under this Leader's wise, bold, and fearless administration, it now changed into a most practical way. She showed that no matter how great and true the philosophy might be, it was useless unless it was lived and practiced in actual life. It was she who founded the International Brotherhood League, the Isis League of Music and Drama, the School for the Revival of the Lost Mysteries of Antiquity, and the Cuban Colony, and many other activities. All of these undertakings have been enormously successful in bringing the sublime philosophy down into practical life, and each of these furnishes a separate and appropriate vehicle for the dissemination of these truths. At this time there are many workers engaged who have no other aim in life than to work and work in this great Cause which is destined to succeed in spiritualizing the growing intellectuality of the age and to elevate the degraded concepts of the permanency, gloriousness, and blissful powers of the soul.
FOOTNOTE:
1. Address given at the New Cycle Unity Congress at the Carnegie Chamber Music Hall. New York, April l0th, 1900. (return to text)