INTERNATIONALISM 97

spread of Theosophy, the spread of the idea
of the oneness of life, the spread of the
idea that in the search after the Divine
Wisdom, barriers of caste and creed and colour
do not, cannot, exist. After all this is the
first step and it is a big step towards inter-
nationalism ; for these barriers are what bar
the road and Theosophy removes them as
nothing else has done* In the Great War
all the chief nations were brought together.
With what result ? First a feeling of oneness in
aim to win the war, second, a feeling of respect
to all others, a discovery on all sides that every
one has his good points as well as his bad,
thirdly a mutual respect for each other's
religions. I think possibly this last has made
the greatest impression, extraordinary as it
may seem to say so. There appears to be a
general discovery that up to that time the pre-
sentation of each other's religions has been
falsely understood. In consequence there is a
great quaking in the shoes of the dignitaries of
the religion which proselytises the most, but the
genuine seekers for truth have had their eyes
opened; this has been rather a rude awakening.
In one case the rude awakening has taken
a good form, and a Society has been formed
to see what is essential in the Christian Church

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