ng which clashes with their higher interests can be the right thing
for him to do, or can be good for him in any way.

It naturally follows that he becomes filled with the widest possible
tolerance and charity. He cannot but be always tolerant, because his
philosophy shows him that it matters little what a man believes, so long as
he is a good man and true. Charitable also he must be, because his wider
knowledge enables him to make allowances for many things which the ordinary
man does not understand. The standard of the Theosophist as to right and
wrong is always higher than that of the less instructed man, yet he is far
gentler than the latter in his feeling towards the sinner, because he
comprehends more of human nature. He realizes how the sin appeared to the
sinner at the moment of its commission, and so he makes more allowances
than is ever made by the man who is ignorant of all this.

He goes further than tolerance, charity, sympathy; he feels positive love
towards mankind, and that leads him to adopt a position of watchful
helpfulness. He feels that every contact with others is for him an
opportunity, and the additional knowledge which his study has brought to
him enables him to give advice or help in almost any case which comes
before him. Not that he is perpetually thrusting his opinions upon other
people. On the contrary, he observes that to do this is one of the
commonest mistakes made by the uninstructed. He knows that argument is a
foolish waste of energy, and therefore he declines to argue. If anyone
desires from him explanation or advice he is more than willing to give it,
yet he has no sort of wish to convert anyone else to his own way of
thinking.

In every relation of life this idea of helpfulness comes into play, not
only with regard to his fellowmen but also in connection with the vast
animal kingdom which surrounds him. Units of this kingdom are often brought
into close relation with man, and this is for him an opportunity of doing
something for them. The Theosophist recognizes that these are also his
brothers, even though they may be younger brothers, and that he owes a
fraternal duty to them also--so to act and so to think that his relation
with them shall be always for their good and never for their harm.

Pre-eminently and above all, this Theosophy is to him a doctrine of common
sense. It puts before him, as far as he can at present know them, the facts
about God and man and the relations bet