I have been frequently asked, What is Theosophy? A question more easily asked than answered, and in answering I may do even less justice to it than to Spiritualism. Theosophy is an intellectual speculation, having for its main object the supplanting of Christianity, by a Revised Version of Hindoo Metempsychosis. An attempt to foist upon our western ideas and exoteric habits of thought, the mysticisms and esoteric speculations of the mystics of India and Japan. Modern Spiritualism is not a religion. Theosophy not only claims to be a religion, but to be “the essential basis of all religions.” Modern Spiritualism may have its faults, and be as imperfect as human souls are here or hereafter. But we at least understand its faults and defects. The triple-crowned spiritual monarch--sitting on the seven hills of Rome--is not more infallible than the principles which underlie Theosophy--with its demi-gods, its Mahatmas, its adepts, miracle workers and wonders. To not understand and be able to accept these principles at once, is to proclaim oneself an ignoramus. Theosophy is a strangely fascinating religion for intellectual æsthetics. Spiritualism is at least susceptible of being observed and investigated, and the hypothesis of Spiritualism is naturally a reasonable deduction from the facts. Not so Theosophy, which is merely a theory, an _a priori_ assumption pleasing to those with more reflective and imaginative powers than capacity for practical observation. Spiritualism has given facts to be examined and tested, Theosophy nothing save gigantic and baseless assertions. Its _astral shells_ and _elementals_ are like its _Mahatmas_, flimsy phantasies, less tangible than the ghost seen and described by Dr. Jessop, or visions of the _shade of shades_, seen by psychometers. For these latter we have at least a basis in psychic phenomena. _Re-incarnation_ is the back bone of Theosophy, and Karma its necessary adjunct. The _Kismet_ of Mahomet and the doctrines of election of Calvinism are not more inexorable than the _Karma_ of Theosophy. _Karma_ is a combination of earthly experiences and expiations of the soul of man in time, during its everlasting process of incarnating and re-incarnating in search of Wisdom, the Eternal Reality, and the final extinction of all _individuality_ in the Nirvana. _Devachan_ is the intermediate state of oblivion, in which _personality_ is blotted out, and into which the spiritual soul, etc., enters between the periods of incarnation. Theosophy--the Wisdom of God religion--attempts to explain all the inequalities of life, the intellectual and moral differences in men, of sin and suffering, by its working theory, _Re-incarnation_, which doubtless has many attractive features.