be called charity. If a church offers him assistance of a kind which would be pauperizing, and hence degrading to him, is it not misleading to him? Can he be expected to see that when such aid is offered, his manhood should inspire him to refuse it, and that it is something much more real that the church should give him instead? That were indeed to expect much insight from him. Does it become easier for him to realize himself as a child whom God is trying to reach and to teach, if some better educated person, whom he ought to be able to regard as understanding more about what is best and right than he does, accepts his standards, and makes every effort to get him merely what he wants? Surely he is then confirmed in his misunderstandings, not helped to see further. How is he to know that the benefactor whom he sees using her friends in a perfectly shameless way, in order, perhaps, to hold for him some position which his own carelessness or wrong-doing has caused him to forfeit, is only acting down to his level, for his supposed benefit? How can he know that she would scorn to take a similar position where she herself was concerned? How can he get any insight into what right standards, right impulses are? Whatever may be his view for himself, he wants to give his children the right sense of things and here too, he must be hopelessly confused by some of those who are mistakenly trying to shore-up the supposed lapses, oversights, and negligences of that Divinity that shapes our ends. Are we not all, high and low, rich and poor, children of God? Must not the essence of our efforts to be brotherly consist in trying to find out what the Father wants of each-and then doing it? E. QUESTION NO. 246.—Will you kindly define the following terms: "Higher and lower psychism"; "Occultism and pseudo-occultism.” ANSWER. "Occultism" means the science of that which is hidden, the hidden laws of the soul. The life and teaching of Christ, of Buddha, of Krishna, of every Avatar is occultism, is the embodiment and revelation of the eternal laws of the soul, the laws which govern the evolution of that "to whose growth and splendour there is no limit." For there are such laws, fixed and immutable, and the price which the soul must pay for its growth is implicit obedience to them. "Pseudo-occultism" is that which pretends to be occultism and is not. For instance any dabbling with the hidden laws or forces of the psychic plane for any material end-including bodily health-or for the gratification of the desires or the un healthy curiosity of the personality. "Psychic" is sometimes used to include everything above the material plane and short of the Absolute. (Strictly speaking anything below the Absolute is a reflection.) "Higher psychic" usually means those higher worlds of form where order reigns. "Lower psychic" is applied to the realm of chaos between the material and the spiritual worlds, the world of passions, of emotion, of unregulated and evil desires, of kama-lokic spooks. It is of this region that it is said that beneath every flower a serpent lies coiled. Those who dabble with spiritualistic seances, ouija boards, and similar activities, are opening themselves to the evil and degrading influences of this "lower psychism." J. F. B. M. ANSWER. I would define psychism, briefly and comprehensively, as all forms of lower mental activity, reasonings, imagination, emotions, etc. "Higher" or "lower" would depend upon what was in control of these activities, and the goal to which they were directed. If the activity is controlled by the spiritual forces of the higher self, to further the purpose of the higher self, it would seem higher psychism. If the activity is uncontrolled, or dominated by the lower nature, or, as in the case of the Black Lodge, controlled by higher forces, but directed to an evil end, in all these cases it would seem lower psychism. Occultism seems to me the science of transforming the baseness of the lower nature into the purity of the higher nature. Pseudo-occultism is anything that stops short of that end. and aims at a smaller goal, as the health, wealth, etc., of the mental scientists and others. C. REPORT OF THE ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE On Saturday, April the 24th, 1920, the Annual Convention of The Theosophical Society was called to order at 10.30 a. m. at 21 Macdougal Alley, New York, by the Chairman of the Executive Committee, Mr. Charles Johnston. The capacity of the room was taxed by the number of delegates, members-at-large, and members of the New York Branch and other Branches, who had gathered before the hour set for the opening session. On motion made by Mr. E. T. Hargrove and duly seconded, Mr. Johnston was elected Temporary Chairman of the Convention, and Miss Julia Chickering was duly elected Temporary Secretary. Mr. Johnston took the Chair, and it was moved and seconded that the Temporary Chairman appoint a Committee on Credentials. The Chair stated that since the standing of Branches and delegates was involved in the work of this committee, he would appoint to it Professor H. B. Mitchell, Treasurer T. S.; Miss I. E. Perkins, Assistant Secretary T. S.; and Miss M. E. Youngs, Assistant Treasurer,-requesting the committee to go into session immediately, and to report as soon as possible. ADDRESS OF THE TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN MR. JOHNSTON: While the Committee on Credentials is at its work, it is the custom for the Temporary Chairman to extend a very cordial and very sincere welcome to the members of the Convention. I have, amongst other duties, to count up the years of life of The Theosophical Society whenever a diploma is sent, and I see with some wonder and deep gratitude that in November next we shall enter our forty-sixth year; so we are close to the half century. In the earlier days, the Society grew by the methods of expansion, propaganda, and so forth, and growth was marked by the number of our members. In the more recent years, growth is marked by growth of character in our members. That is a moral and spiritual growth which immediately meets with formidable obstacles; therefore, as it continues in the face of these obstacles, it becomes a very firm and well-founded spiritual life. If growth be marked in spiritual life, it should, each year, be in advance of the year before; therefore each Convention should be better and stronger and more full of spiritual understanding. The Convention marks in a way the keynote of the coming year; therefore let us determine that during this Convention we shall prove that we have grown, and that we possess that high aspiration and faith and that devotion which are both the cause and the fruit of growth. I am confident that this will be done and that this Convention will be the greatest and the best, because the most closely founded on spiritual law, that the Society has ever held. In this confident hope I again bid the delegates very cordially welcome. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS The Chairman of the Committee, Professor Mitchell, reported that the credentials presented had been duly examined, and that the committee found twenty Branches, represented either by personal delegates or by proxies, and entitled to cast one hundred and twenty votes. [The asterisk marks credentials received later.] Altagracia, Altagracia de Orituco, Arvika, Sweden Aurvanga, Kristiania, Norway Krishna, South Shields, England On motion duly made and seconded, the report of the Committee on Credentials was accepted, and the Convention proceeded to its permanent organization. The nomination of Professor Mitchell as Permanent Chairman was moved by Mr. Hargrove, seconded by Mr. C. Russell Auchincloss, and carried. The election of Miss Perkins as Secretary and Miss Chickering as Assistant Secretary was then made, and the permanent officers were duly installed. ADDRESS OF THE PERMANENT CHAIRMAN PROFESSOR MITCHELL: (Taking the Chair) I have before me two telegrams which I shall read at once: one from England, signed Bagnell, Graves, Keightley, reading, "Best wishes to the Convention." The other from Indiana, from Judge McBride: "Unable to attend Convention. Returning from Florida, I find so much to do that duty holds me here. Mentally and spiritually upstanding, and physically feeling my seventy-eight years, I treasure memories of Blavatsky, Judge and that devoted band that survived the Chicago cataclysm. Keep to the Path. Love and greetings." I assume that all those here present are members of The Theosophical Society. In our ordinary Branch meetings we welcome the public, but in the annual Convention of the Society, where we come together to consider its affairs and its policies, we must be able to talk with freedom, and a depth of feeling which we sometimes have to conceal when we speak to the public. It is with very deep feeling that I respond to your invitation to preside over the Convention. It is a privilege which you have extended to me for some years; and each year I realize more profoundly its responsibility. We seem but a small gathering. Nevertheless, it is a gathering of those who are the heirs, the inheritors, the custodians of a tradition which it is impossible to value rightly; it is more ancient than anything in our civilization, because more ancient than our civilization itself. It is the tradition of that divine power in the world which has built civilization after civilization, which has acted first as builder, and then as destroyer; destroying for the purposes of spirit, ultimately to rebuild. We are not only the inheritors of one form of religion, or of one form of manifestation of the divine power. We are the inheritors of religion itself and of all forms of the manifestation of divine power. It is as trustees of that ancient tradition-theosophia, the power and wisdom of God-that we come here to-day, in the exercise of our trusteeship. We have only to reflect upon it to realize the greatness of our privilege. We of all men should be most keenly conscious of our responsibility, for we, of all men, should see most deeply into the spiritual significance of the life that is ours and that is lived about us. And it is for us, entrusted with an understanding of its meaning, to keep clear in our own minds and hearts the consciousness of the divine purpose to which our love and aspiration turn-because from such consciousness there comes a mould, which makes it easier for the divine forces to shape the evolution of the world. It is our custom to hold our annual Convention in the spring of the year, when nature is manifesting the re-creative forces which have lain dormant through the winter, showing forth a power of life which was not dead but hidden; transforming dead leaves and rotting wood and refuse into growing plants; in that divine alchemy, taking all its dead elements up and re-forming them, revivifying them, and quickening them into beauty. It is a process of life, the knowledge of which is entrusted to us, that we may aid it to act for the regeneration of mankind as it acts for the regeneration of nature. It is as the representatives, however unworthy, of that great, age-old, infinitely potent tradition and power that we meet together to consider the interests of The Theosophical Society. Our first business consists in the appointment of three regular Convention committees, to consider and plan for the business of the Convention-the Committee on Nominations, the Committee on Resolutions, and the Committee on Letters of Greeting. On motion made by Mr. Hargrove, seconded by Mr. Woodbridge, these three Committees were appointed by the Chair, as follows; after which the reports of the officers of the Society were called for: Committee on Nominations Mr. K. D. Perkins, Chairman Mr. A. L. Grant Mrs. M. F. Gitt Committee on Resolutions Mr. E. T. Hargrove, Chairman Mr. C. Russell Auchincloss Mrs. Emma S. Thompson Committee on Letters of Greeting Dr. C. C. Clark, Chairman Mr. Homer T. Baker Miss M. D. Hohnstedt REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MR. JOHNSTON: It has been said at previous Conventions that the Executive Committee has the duty, between Conventions, of safe-guarding the welfare of the Society, and for that reason there has been often little to report, because no critical situation has arisen. There has been a record of new Branches, and new members, which is reported more properly by the Secretary. That has, for the most part, been about all we have had to report,-additions in Branches and membership. And this may be a suitable point to make clear the principle that The Theosophical Society is an open door. We have the duty, the obligation, to admit all applicants for membership who desire to work for our objects; and where there is a proper application for a Branch charter, we have the obligation to issue that charter, except in cases of criminality or moral turpitude. But so far as opinions, beliefs, and so on, are concerned, we have no right to refuse any diploma or any charter, because every individual and group of individuals has the right to come within the influence of the nucleus of universal brotherhood. As Professor Mitchell pointed out, the T. S. is a spiritual life which goes back many ages; it also goes forward many ages. Therefore, the nucleus of universal brotherhood, which we are striving to form, looks not so much to the humanity of to-day as to the spiritual life of future ages and future races. Therefore it becomes the duty of the Executive Committee to admit all properly accredited applicants. It is its further duty to do all in its power, thereafter, to safeguard that nucleus of universal brotherhood which has its splendid destiny in the future. Therefore while every individual has the right to be brought into relation to that nucleus, if he fail to assimilate the principles of universal brotherhood, and that failure be shown by flagrant acts, then it is the duty of the Executive Committee to take what action may be possible and desirable to safeguard the nucleus of universal brotherhood against danger and against attack. This brings me to the consideration of the situation as regards the German Branches. I think that it is not necessary more than to allude to the history of Germany since August 4th, 1914. The moral infamy of the German people is so clearly written on the memories of mankind—at least on our memories-that it is really needless to evoke once more the memory of those unspeakable abominations. The question is, what of the members of the Society who were in Germany during that time. We know that the whole German nation was very ingeniously lied to by its government, also that it was very avid in the swallowing of those lies. But there is a presumption that members of the T. S. in Germany were so completely misled, that in spite of all their spiritual training, in spite of the fact that they should have stood for the foremost spiritual enlightenment and consciousness in their nation, there is a theoretical possibility that they were too completely deceived to see the facts. Therefore no action was taken during the war by the Executive Committee. In dealing with those German members, we waited for the event. In criminal law, he who aids and abets the crime is equally guilty with the principal, both as regards culpability and penalty. The question then is, how far did those German members aid and abet the infamies of the German people. Only they themselves can furnish the evidence, and we have waited for the evidence. The armistice was signed November 11th, 1918, and a year and a half has elapsed since that time. During that year and a half the German members have had ample opportunity, both through the public press and through the confessions of men like Lichnowsky and the author of J'Accuse; men like Maximilian Harden and ever so many others, to learn the truth; they have had excellent opportunity also through the study of THE THEOSOPHICAL QUARTERLY, and we know they have received those QUARTERLIES. Therefore we are entitled to assume that they are now fully in possession of the facts. What then is their action? How are they going to register themselves-not what are we going to do, but what are they going to do, or what have they done? We will record that which they write down; no more than that. You saw in the January number of the QUARTERLY a considerable correspondence, and a certain number of letters showing that some, at least, of the members in Berlin and elsewhere have made confessions of repentance, shame, humiliation, over the despicable and infamous actions of the nation. It remains for them to bring forth fruits of repentance, if they are really-not nominallyto form part of the nucleus of universal brotherhood of races and ages yet unborn. It is a question of fact, not of words, to form a part of that nucleus. There are those who have not made confession of repentance or contrition; who, on the contrary, are flagrantly unrepentant. They do not deplore the violation of Belgium; they do not deplore the infamies recorded in the Bryce Report; they do not deplore the sinking of the Lusitania or the abominable policy of the German submarine warfare. What they do deplore is the action of the Theosophical Convention. Those of us who were present at the Convention of 1915 will remember that this country was then beset by a deplorable miasma of moral neutrality, a balancing between good and evil; the attitude of arbitration between God and the devil. The Theosophical Society, believing that the emergency called for a statement of fundamental principles, took a definite stand as regards neutrality, and said it was a disgrace and a shame, where a principle of righteousness was involved. The Convention therefore took the stand that war is not necessarily |