The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

III. Amazing Conglomerate of Theosophy-related Groups

Few are aware of the amazing number and variety of modulations and developments of Theosophy and the Eastern occult that have infiltrated and established themselves in the West during the past century. These all, to greater or lesser degree, draw upon the basic principles of Theosophy-often stressing reincarnation, all holding the concept of Innate Immortality, and relying on the principle of self-salvation. CFF2 1210.4

They comprise an amazing list, springing from the East and penetrating the West. The leading groups. include Psychiana (founded by Robinson), Father Divine’s Peace Mission, the I AM Movement (Ballard), and the Unity School (Fillmore). They have much in common. CFF2 1211.1

Then there is the bizarre array of the less-known Vedanta Society (founded in Vivekananda), the Self-Realization Fellowship (Yogananda), Rosicrucianism, the Church of Illumination (with man’s soul part of the Cosmic Soul), the Liberal Catholic Church (Leadbeater), the Church of the Radiant Light (Schaefer), the Institute of Mentalphysics (Dingle), the Temple of Yahweh (Jeffers), the Church of Truth Universal (Bonnier), the Brotherhood of the White Temple (Doreal), the Brotherhood of Light, the Order of the Cross (Ferrier), and the Institute of Religious Science and School of Philosophy. Their names often indicate their special emphasis. But all are theosophic. CFF2 1211.2

But these are not all. There is also the Mayan Temple group (with reincarnation and continuity), the Humanity Benefactor Foundation (Lawson), the Life Study Fellowship, the Altruist Church, the Mazdaznan Philosophy (Hanisch), the Metaphysical School of Health, the Fellowship of the Order of Christian Mystics (Curtis), the Modern Church (a syncretism of all religions with Spiritualism), the Fellowship Following of Buddha (Goddard), and the Maha Bhodi Society (following the Yoga path). ⁶⁴ Each attracts a certain following, and they have similar concepts of the soul. CFF2 1211.3

It is a conglomerate array. But it indicates how susceptible the restless West is to the occult overtures of the East, ⁶⁵ and how widespread are its penetrations. With the accepted Innate Immortality postulate as basic and often the soul as part of the All-Soul, and the constant reincarnation affirmations, the ground is well laid for the last great deception. CFF2 1211.4