The spiritual life

Theosophy and Ethics.

An Address iiiven at theParliament ofReligions,

Chicago, 1893.

TN thepartof the Syllabus thatwearecon-

* siderlngthisafternoon,wehavetoconclude

the discussion opened by our Indian brother,

tracing on from step to step the meaning of

Altruism,thegrowthof morality,the sanction,

themotiveof ethics,and theidentity of moral

teaching in every great religion in the world.

That we have chosen as a final presentment

in this Congress of our philosophy, for all

philosophyhas itsright endinginethics andin

conduct,whichisof the most vital importance

tomenandwomenintheirdailylife.

Firstofall,then,wehavethewordAltruism,

"incumbent," it is said, "because of man's

common origin, common training, common

destiny," andsoon. Anditistruethatinthe

earlieststagesofmorallife,altruismmustbethe

goalthatwesetbeforeourselves. The service

of othersiswhat we should strive to perfect.

But sometimes it has also seemed to me that

altruismis itself buta stage of progress rather

M