Page:A Collection of Esoteric Writings.djvu/348

334 The second part of Mr. Maitland'a objection is to the effect that expressions are used in Esoteric Buddhism, which imply "a conscious, intelligent and, therefore, personal being as subsisting prior to any organized or derived entities," and are, therefore, inconsistent with the statements examined above. The reasons assigned for this new objection are equally unsatisfactory, as I shall presently show.

Such expressions as "the purposes of nature," "the continuous effort made by nature," and others, similarly worded, do not imply the existence of a "personal" God. I am surprised to find that an argument of this nature is introduced into a serious philosophical discussion. Every man who believes in the diurnal rotation of the earth, ordinarily speaks of sunrise and sunset. Can it be advanced as a serious argument against the existence of this rotation that the very language used disproves the theory? The argument brought forward is precisely similar to the baseless objections advanced against Mills' Cosmological theory, on the ground that the ordinary language in use supports the realistic theory. The English language is no more, than any other language, the special creation of philosophers against whose authority there is no appeal. For, it is developed by the national common sense of England and the usages of every day life; and certainly no great philosophical acumen can be claimed for it under these circumstances. If Mr. Maitland's objection is admitted, all figurative language will have to be studiously eschewed from philosophical writings. If there is, however, any real foundation beneath the objection, it is tantamount to saying that the existence of a definite method in the order of Cosmic evolution necessitates the admission of a personal God. This question, however, will be more fully discussed further on, in connection with Mr. Maitland's inferences from the existence of Cosmic laws.

We are informed by the critic that Theism finds expression in the statements made regarding the 7th principle in man, and thus shows Mr. Sinnett's inconsistency.