Theos-Talk Archives (January 2005 Message tt00240)

Dec 10 2005



Re: "COMMON SENSE" birthday anniversary 

BORN January 10th, 1776









229 years ago Dec 10th, COMMON SENSE was first issued by its author Thomas
Paine.



Here is a story about its importance taken from early Theosophical
literature :



-----------------------------------





THE ADEPTS IN AMERICA IN 1776



by an Ex-Asiatic





The following suggestions and statements are made entirely upon the personal
responsibility of the writer, and without the knowledge or consent - as far
as he knows - of the adepts who are in general terms therein referred to.



The reflecting mind is filled with astonishment upon reviewing the history
of the rise of the United States of N. America, when it perceives that
dogmatic theology has no foundation in any part of the Declaration of
Independence or Constitution for the structure which it fain would raise and
has so often since tried to erect within and upon the government. 



We are astonished because those documents were formulated and that
government established at a time when dogmatism of one kind or another had
supreme sway. 



Although the Puritans and others had come to America for religious freedom,
they were still very dogmatic and tenacious of their own peculiar theories
and creed; so that if we found in this fundamental law much about religion
and religious establishments, we would not be surprised. 



But in vain do we look for it, in vain did the supporters of the iron church
attempt to lay the needed corner stone, and today America rejoices at it,
and has thereby found it possible to grow with the marvellous growth that
has been the wonder of Europe.

The nullification of these efforts made by bigotry in 1776 was due to the
adepts who now look over and give the countenance of their great name to the
Theosophical Society.



They oversaw the drafting of the Declaration and the drawing of the
Constitution, and that is why no foothold is to be found for these blatant
Christians who desire to inject God into the constitution.



In the declaration, from which freedom sprang, "nature and nature's god" are
referred to. In the 2nd and 3rd paragraphs the natural rights of man are
specified, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The king is
spoken of as being unworthy to be "the head of a civilized nation," nothing
being said as to whether he was the head, or worthy to be, of a Christian
one.



In appealing to their British brethren, the declaration says the appeal is
"made to their native justice and magnanimity." All reference to religion
and Christianity or God's commands are left out. 



This was for the very good reason that for 1700 years religion had battled
against progress, against justice, against magnanimity, against the rights
of man. And in the concluding sentence the signers mutually pledge each
other to its support ignoring all appeals to God.



In the constitution of 1787 the preamble declares that the instrument was
made for union, for justice, for tranquility and defence, the general good
and liberty. 



Art. VI says no religious test as a qualification for office shall ever be
required, and the 1st Amendment prohibits an establishment of religion or
restraint of its free exercise.





THOMAS PAINE





The great Theosophical Adepts in looking around the world for a mind through
which they could produce in America the reaction which was then needed,
found in England, Thomas Paine. In 1774 they influenced him, through the
help of that worthy Brother Benjamin Franklin, to come to America. He came
here and was the main instigator of the separation of the Colonies from the
British Crown. 



At the suggestion of Washington, Franklin, Jefferson and other Freemasons,
whose minds through the teachings of the symbolic degrees of masonry were
fitted to reason correctly, and to reject theological conservation, he wrote
"COMMON SENSE," which was the torch to the pile whose blaze burned away the
bonds between England and America. 



For "COMMON SENSE" he was often publicly thanked. George Washington wrote
September 10th, 1783, to Paine: "I shall be exceedingly happy to see you.
Your presence may remind Congress of your past services to this country, and
if it is in my power to impress them, command my best exertions with
freedom, as they will be rendered cheerfully by one who entertains a lively
sense of the importance of your works." 



And again in June 1784, in a letter to Madison, Washington says: "Can
nothing be done in our assembly for poor Paine? Must the merits and services
of 'Common Sense' continue to glide down the stream of time unrewarded by
this country? His writings certainly have had a powerful effect upon the
public mind. Ought they not then to meet an adequate return?" (1)



In the "AGE OF REASON" which he wrote in Paris several years after, Paine
says: "I saw, or at least I thought I saw, a vast scene opening itself to
the world in the affairs of America; and it appeared to me that unless the
Americans changed the plan they were then pursuing and declared themselves
independent, they would not only involve themselves in a multiplicity of new
difficulties, but shut out the prospect that was then offering itself to
mankind through their means." 



Further on he says: "There are two distinct classes of thoughts; those
produced by reflection, and those that bolt into the mind of their own
accord. I have always made it a rule to treat these voluntary visitors with
civility, and it is from them I have acquired all the knowledge that I
have."



These "voluntary visitors" were injected into his brain by the Adepts,
Theosophists. Seeing that a new order of ages was about to commence and that
there was a new chance for freedom and the brotherhood of man, they laid
before the eye of Thomas Paine - who they knew could be trusted to stand
almost alone with the lamp of truth in his hand amidst others who in "times
that tried men's souls" quaked with fear, - a "vast scene opening itself to
Mankind in the affairs of America." 





PYRAMID AND EYE IN THE U. S. SEAL



[see reverse side of the One Dollar bill ]



The result was the Declaration, the Constitution for America. And as if to
give point to these words and to his declaration that he saw this vast scene
opening itself, this new order of ages, the design of the reverse side of
the U.S. great seal is a pyramid whose capstone is removed with the blazing
eye in a triangle over it dazzling the sight, above it are the words "the
heavens approve," while underneath appears the startling sentence "a new
order of ages."



That he had in his mind's eye a new order of ages we cannot doubt upon
reading in his "RIGHTS OF MAN," Part 2, Chap. 2, "no beginning could be made
in Asia, Africa or Europe, to reform the political condition of man. She
(America) made a stand not for herself alone, but for the world, and looked
beyond the advantage she could receive." 



In Chap. 4, "The case and circumstances of America present themselves as in
the beginning of a world...there is a morning of reason rising upon man, on
the subject of Government, that has not appeared before."





A "NEW ORDER OF AGES"





The design "of the seal" was not an accident, but was actually intended to
symbolize the building and firm founding of a new order of ages. It was
putting into form the idea which by means of a "voluntary visitor" was
presented to the mind of Thomas Paine, of a vast scene opening itself, the
beginning in America of "a new order of ages." 



That side of the seal has never been cut or used [as of 1883], and at this
day the side in use has not the sanction of law. In the spring of 1841, when
Daniel Webster was Secretary of State, a new seal was cut, and instead of
the eagle holding in his sinister claw 13 arrows as intended, he holds only
six. Not only was this change unauthorized, but the cause for it is
unknown.(2) When the other side is cut and used, will not the new order of
ages have actually been established?



More then is claimed for the Theosophical Adepts than the changing of baser
metal into gold, or the possession of such a merely material thing as the
elixir of life. They watch the progress of man and help him on in his
halting flight up the steep plane of progress. They hovered over Washington,
Jefferson, and all the other brave freemasons who dared to found a free
Government in the West, which could be pure from the dross of dogmatism,
they cleared their minds, inspired their pens and left upon the great seal
of this mighty nation the memorial of their presence."



W. Q. Judge (an
ex-Asiatic)





THEOSOPHIST, October, 1883



-------------Footnotes--------------------



1 9 Sparks, 49.



2 See U.S. State Dept. archives.



=====================================





This is a tribute to one to whom we all owe a great debt of gratitude.



Best wishes,



Dallas



=============================



-----Original Message-----
From: THOMAS A H
Sent: Monday, January 10, 2005 3:13 AM
To: 
Subject: "COMMON SENSE" 



"COMMON SENSE" BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY

BORN JANUARY 10, 1776



It was on this day in 1776 that Thomas Paine published his political

pamphlet Common Sense arguing for American independence from Great Britain.



At the time of the publication, Paine had been living in America only two
years. He'd grown up in England, where he'd struggled to earn a living as a
tax collector. He saw first-hand the corruption of the British government,
and had recently been fired from his job when he met Benjamin Franklin in
London, who encouraged him to move to America.



He arrived just in time to see the colonies rebelling against problems

in the British tax system similar to what he had experienced back in

England. He got a job as a journalist, and he immediately began to

write about the political situation. After the battle of Lexington and

Concord in April of 1775, he decided that the only solution to the

conflict would be total independence for the American colonies. But

when he expressed those ideas in his newspaper, he lost his job.



He spent the next several months traveling around Pennsylvania, going

to various bars and taverns and talking to ordinary people about their

opinions on American independence. He used these conversations to

develop a writing style that an ordinary person could easily

understand, and he used that style to write his pamphlet "Common

Sense."



The pamphlet sold more than 500,000 copies, more copies than any other

publication had ever sold at that time in America. It helped persuade many

Americans to support revolution, and six months later, the colonies

officially declared independence.



==============================================================





Many thanks Bro. T:



Let me add a bit of personal history:



In 1942, Bombay this article and Paine's pamphlet were reprinted by the
INTERNATIONAL BOOK HOUSE, Bombay which my father Wm. Davis TenBroeck owned
and I managed.



In a pamphlet titled



"WHOSE FREEDOM"





Two printings, totaling 10,000 copies were issued. The Indian National
Congress (the largest political body that included members who represented
persons from every class and sect and from all over India) had declared, by
resolution, a boycott of the British Government that ruled India. They said
in brief: India and Indians will no longer cooperate.



Britain had promised political independence to India for services given
freely in World War I [1914-18] - and had thereafter never fully put into
effect. 1942 was some 25 years later - the promises of freedom, and
independence, had, during those long 25 years, been subjected to a series of
delaying tactics. 



The Indian National Congress appealed to the honor of Britain and declared
it would give full support providing the delayed promised freedom was given
immediately. 



In answer the British repressed and, over-night jailed all Indian patriots
all over the country. They employed the excuse that World War II and the
Japanese incursions in South-East Asia threatened the country - India was
inexperienced in ruling herself, etc... Further, a very large contingent of
American troops had been landed and were stationed all over North India,
particularly in the North East area of Bengal and Assam. 



The response from the people (about 400 million then) was immediate. They
ceased cooperating with and supporting the government. Colleges and
universities closed, transportation was disrupted, and many government
departments ground to a trickle of efficiency. The response from the
British in government was repressive and punitive.



We felt [my father Wm. Davis TenBroeck and I] we ought to contribute to
understanding, by publishing information concerning the responsibilities of
freedom. Hence the pamphlet. 10,000 copies were sold at a nominal price,
and in India at that time, that was a very large distribution.


Dallas



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Dallas





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