ONE OF THE SIGNS OF THE CYCLE
THE people of all nations now turn their eyes to America,
and that name for them stands for the United States. Its energy,
activity, and freedom hold the imagination of the foreigner,
and here he thinks aspirations may be realized, unfettered by
the chains of caste, kingly prerogative, or religious restraint.
With all that, Europeans often laugh at the newness and crudity
of America, yet admiration cannot be withheld for the tremendous
nerve power, the facile adaptability, the swift onward rush of
the civilization beginning to bloom in the United States. It
is the occult forces working in this land and really affecting
all men, whether they know it or not, that is the reason.
Men who are not counted seers often see centuries into the
future; and Tom Paine, the last who could be called a seer, had
one such sight about America, although he called it a thought
or "that which he saw with his mind's eye." When he
was yet in England he wrote that he seemed to see a great
vista opening for the world in the affairs in America.
This was before he wrote Common Sense, which, as George
Washington said, did more for our independence than any other
thing. Paine was destined to be a great factor in American affairs,
and naturally-in the occultist's eyes at least-he would see in
advance some slight vision of the "great experiment"
in which he was so soon to take an influential share. This experiment
was not conceived alone by mortal minds, but is a part of the
evolutionary plan, for here the next great movement has already
begun and will reach a high development.
Its greatest importance for us is theosophically. We think,
quite naturally, that the theosophic ideas and culture are supreme,
but if we needed confirmation from the outer barbarians we have
it in the lately-written words of the great Frenchman, Emile
Burnouf, who said that one of the three great factors in religious
development of today is the Theosophical Society. If we assume
this to be true, a glance at statistics will point to one of
the signs of the cycle.
In England there are almost 30 million people, yet for fifteen
years the Theosophical Society has not made much progress there.
For some years but one branch existed-the London Lodge, and now
there are not ten. India has a population of 350,000,000, but
if a count were taken we should find that the possible material
available for the creation of T.S. Branches would not reach 1,000,000
souls. The reason for this is that out of the whole of 350,000,000
there are an immense number who cannot sympathise with the movement,
indeed can hardly know of it, because they are uneducated and
unable to speak or read English; the English-speaking Hindu is
one who joins us there. And we find in India say 175 active Branches.
Turning now to America-to the United States where Theosophy
has been promulgated-we can only reckon on a population of say
50,000,000. Yet those 50,000,000 have furnished us with 36 Branches,
and more rapidly coming into existence. Those who work for and
in the T.S. in the United States know of the great interest there
is in the subject in every part of the country, and can feel
quite sure that not only may there very soon be one hundred Branches
here, hut also that nearly every man, woman, and child will ere
long know of the word of Theosophy and of the Society bearing
its name. Several causes make this possible in the United States
as nowhere else. There is a wider spread of general English education,
a more constant reading of newspapers and magazines by all classes
from lowest to highest, and a keener spirit of inquiry working
in a freer mental atmosphere, than in any other country.
The statistics given lead to but one conclusion: they place
the possibilities of theosophical growth in the United States
ahead of India. Any one can calculate the proportions in the
proposition: given the U.S. with 50 million people and 36 Branches,
more than two-thirds of which have been formed within the last
three years, and India numbering one million available people
and 175 Branches, of which the greater number have been in existence
many years, which is greater proportional growth and which gives
greater promise for the future?
But the analysis must not end here, for the conditions and
the people are different. Most of India's people will probably
for many centuries remain as they are, some technical idolators,
some Jains, some Mohammedans, some Fire worshippers, and some
Buddhists. But here the lines of demarcation between the different
sects are being shaded into disappearance, there are no great
differences of religion and of caste, and people of all avowed
religions are daily finding theosophy creeping into their thoughts
and their literature. It is a sign of the Cycle; it points to
India as the conserver of the ancient wisdom-religion, and to
America as its new and vigorous champion who will adopt those
old truths without fear of caste or prejudice, and exemplify
them through the new race to be brought forth in the old Fifth
continent. The careful student of Theosophy will not fail to
see that America alone, of all lands, meets all the requirements
respecting the problem. "Where is the new race to be born?"
H.P. Blavatsky in the Secret Doctrine calls it the Fifth
continent, although for the time including Europe under that
head. Here we see the fusion of all races going on before our
eyes, and here too is the greatest push of energy, of inquiry,
and of achievement.
William Brehon
Path, May, 1890
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