John Nelson Darby Marked
His Doctrinal
Writings With Masonic/Theosophical Terms
John Nelson Darby
(1800-1882), the "Father of Dispensationalism," used occult language
throughout his doctrinal writings and letters. The majority of the phrases are found in Kabbalistic/Theosophical
literature. J.N. Darby
learned these esoteric terms somewhere—not from the Bible—and
he deliberately integrated them into his theological treatises and letters. His
practice of merging
Theosophical vocabulary with supposedly biblical teaching is a form of
syncretism. (It is also a red flag.)
(Note:
The fact that Mr. Darby died six years before Theosophy's co-founder, Helena
Blavatsky published her masterwork, The Secret Doctrine, has no bearing
upon his use of Theosophy-specific terms and
ideas.
Theosophy is ancient
(1)
and originates with Satan,
not with H.P. Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott. (2)
Do you really believe the
Holy Spirit led J.N. Darby and other Brethren leaders to use Luciferian terms
to refer to God and teach supposedly "recovered" biblical truths?
(3)
Darby used some of these phrases frequently but for the
sake of brevity I have cited one reference from Theosophy writings and one
reference from Darby's writings for each term. Most of these terms come straight
out of Freemasonry as well.
The Absolute
Theosophy and the Absolute
The Absolute is a Theosophical
term for God.
The following is Helena
Blavatsky's description of the Absolute in The Secret Doctrine:
The Absolute: “An Omnipresent, Eternal,
Boundless, and Immutable PRINCIPLE
on which all speculation is impossible, since it transcends the power of
human conception and could only be dwarfed by any human expression or
similitude. It is beyond the range and reach of thought — in the words of
Mandukya, ‘unthinkable and unspeakable.’” (Secret Doctrine I pg. 14)
http://users.ez2.net/nick29/theosophy/lessons04.htm
Darby and the
Absolute
John Darby used the word, Absolute
(with capitals to indicate a title) in reference to God:
"The essential being of
Godhead cannot change, as is evident -
the Absolute, as men speak -
and whatever His humiliation, all the fulness of the Godhead
(theotetos)
dwelt in Him
bodily."
Quote source: The Humiliation of Christ by J. N. Darby
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/NOTESCOM/42023_9E.html
Architect
Theosophy and the Architect
"The
occultist, however, works there; he becomes a conscious directing agent;
he creates upon the physical plane that which he desires, and that which he
desires is the pattern of [244] things and the design laid down upon the
trestle board of the spiritual consciousness by the great divine
Architect."http://www.sanctusgermanus.net/ebooks/Glamour--A%20World%20Problem%20by%20Alice%20A.%20Bailey.pdf
Darby
and the Architect
John Darby used the Masonic/Theosophical word, Architect (with capitals to
indicate a title) in reference to God:
But we need a "Faithful Witness." We see God in nature
that is true, but all this knowledge does not lead man to God. Man has
spoilt all. The traces of God, of the
Architect,
are there; but it is a ruin. All is defiled from His mind; all is in
degradation.
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/PRACTICE/16024_7E.html
The
Heavenly Architect
Theosophy
and the heavenly architect
"And then he desired him to bring his army, which, from respect, had
been encamped at a distance, and he called on the
heavenly architect, Vishvakarma, to come and build him lodgings for
Bharata and his followers, and to various Deities to aid him in showing due
hospitality." Quoted from Shri Ramachandra by
Theosophist Annie Besant http://www.levir.com.br/theotext.php?cod=00900
Darby and
the heavenly Architect
"It is life; that is, Christ, as having, as Son, life in and from the life
of the living God, life divine, life in Himself (proved in resurrection),
which is the foundation and security of the assembly built by
the heavenly Architect, against which he who
has the power of death, Satan, cannot prevail."
("Heavenly Architect" is also a
Masonic
term.)
Quoted from The House of God; the Body of Christ; and
the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. J. N.
Darby http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/ECCLESIA/14002E.html
Vital Force
The occult
and vital force
"Vital Force, the
force – the energy of life, that makes the difference between a dead and a
living body."
http://hpathy.com/homeopathy-philosophy/the-vital-force-the-concept-of-resonance/
"A person is "really dead" when his
vital force is totally diminished."
http://afrikaworld.net/afrel/atr-reincarnation.htm
Darby and vital force
"All suffering
was over for Him at His death; and in His resurrection all is new for us!
all our sins are forgiven, and we are with Him in God's presence, and when
He comes we shall be like Him in glory. But though He died it was not
because His vital force was exhausted. He cried
with a loud voice and gave up the ghost." -- JN Darby
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/EXPOSIT/24033_6E.html
[Note: John Darby used the term,
"vital force" the same
way that occult practitioners do.]
The Divine Mind
Theosophy
and the Divine mind
H. P. BLAVATSKY defined Occultism as “the study
of the Divine Mind in Nature”.
Quote source: Occultism by Annie Besant
http://www.anandgholap.net/AP/Occultism-AB.htm
Darby and
divine mind In spiritual subjects, it is the
object of much distinct converse in them to be able to present them
primarily and vividly, so as to lead the way to fuller investigation of
the
divine mind.
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/DOCTRINE/29002E.html
Divine Being
Theosophy
and the Divine Being Theosophist Alice Bailey stated that
the Seven Rays that reach us on Earth locally originate within the "Solar
Logos," i.e., the consciousness of the
"Divine Being"
of the Sun.
http://www.new-age-center.com/article/seven-rays-in-theosophy
Darby and
divine Being Christians are brought into
connection with the divine Being Himself, and
in acts which ought to have the most powerful effect on the heart and
conscience; if they do not, both the one and the other are in a bad state
and hardened.
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/synopsis/2timothy/2timothy2.html
Divine Essence
Theosophy
and divine essence The fundamental
teaching of the ancient wisdom is the spiritual unity of all things.
Blavatsky writes: ". . . 'not only humanity -- composed as it is of thousands of
races -- but everything that lives is made of the same essence and
substance, is animated by the same spirit, and consequently, everything in
nature is bound in solidarity.' Rejecting the idea of a God existing outside
nature, theosophy speaks of an all-pervading divine
essence, an infinite ocean of consciousness, from which all things
are born and to which they ultimately return."
http://davidpratt.info/hpb.htm
Darby and
divine essence "No man hath seen God at any
time: the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath
declared him." He knew, and saw, as One familiar and at ease with the Father
and the Holy Ghost, with the glory of the Godhead. He was Himself in the
unity of the divine essence."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/EVANGEL/21016_9E.html
Divine Energy
Theosophy
and Divine Energy "All human history and
all human temperaments, all ways to serve and all ways to joy, are seen as
manifestations of one or another of the seven "rays" which channel
divine energy into the life of the world."
http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/s/seven_rays_of_theosophy.html
Darby
and Divine Energy "There is a power which
takes us, as it were, out of ourselves, where God is in
divine energy, but there is a calculation of
love which is divine too."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/letters/51176E.html
Unintelligent Energy
Theosophy
and Unintelligent Energy "It is evidently
first apparent as a blind force seeking the light of self-perception and
from this it arises that we are often puzzled by the appearance of an
apparent unintelligent energy, known to us as
the law of necessity usurping the control of the Universe."
(Theosophical review, Volume 6 Googlebooks.com)
Darby and
Unintelligent Energy
"When the carnal and unintelligent energy of
Peter employs force to defend Him, who, if He would, had only needed to have
gone away when a word from His lips had cast down to the ground all those
who came to take Him, and the word that revealed to them the object of their
search deprived them of all power to seize it."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/synopsis/john/john18.html
Energy of Faith
Theosophy
and energy of faith
"The weak point and vicious aspect of the arrangement is that people, not
understanding the real meaning of these rituals, have come to perform them
quite mechanically, and the energy of faith has
evaporated leaving behind the scum of blind-belief. So to-day the religious
actions and exercises are in greatest measure a farce, nay more, a
blasphemy."
http://www.blavatsky.net/magazine/theosophy/ww/additional/ancientlandmarks/TheTempleOfKnowledge-2.html
Darby
and the energy of faith
If God has shewn that He took notice of His servant's fault, and did not
pass it lightly over, He did not fail towards him in either tenderness or
faithfulness. He acted towards him as towards a beloved and faithful
servant, even at the moment in which He made him sensible of his failure in
the energy of faith; for He did not make others
aware of it, although He has communicated it to us for our instruction.
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/synopsis/2kings/2kings1.html
The Secret Wisdom of God
Kabbalah and the secret wisdom of God
"According to tradition, the Kabbalah is the secret
wisdom of God, first given to Adam and Moses and passed on orally
from teacher to student down through the ages to the present."
http://www.lumen.org/issue_contents/contents03.html
Darby
and the secret wisdom of God "The church
continues, if you take the secret wisdom of God;
if you take the revealed statement of God, there is no intimation of
remaining here. You will never find the church contemplated as remaining, so
as to put off the coming of the Lord."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/EXPOSIT/26020-6E.html
Divine Principle
Theosophy
and the divine principle
"We
believe in a universal divine principle, the
root of all, from which all proceeds, and within which all shall be absorbed at
the end of the great cycle of being" (ibid., p. 63). http://www.greatcom.org/resources/handbook_of_todays_religions/01chap08/default.htm
Darby and the divine
principle
"In the case which has led to these
remarks, it is striking to see how this principle elevates the slave in his
condition: he obeys by an inward divine principle, as though it were Christ
Himself whom he obeyed."
(Quote
source: John Nelson Darby's Synopsis of the Bible Ephesians Chapter 6:
http://stempublishing.com/authors/darby/synopsis/ephesians/ephesians6.html)
Divine Doctrine
Theosophy and the divine
doctrine
"To continue the tradition, we have to add
that the class of hierophants was divided into two distinct categories:***
those who were instructed by the 'Sons of God,' of the island, and who were
initiated in the divine doctrine of pure revelation; and others who
inhabited the lost Atlantis -- if such must be its name -- and who, being of
another race, (born sexually but of divine parents), were born
with a sight, which embraced all living things, and was independent of both
distance and material obstacle." (Term used by Helena Blavatsky in The
Secret Doctrine--Vol.2)
http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/sd/sd2-1-12.htm
Darby and the divine
doctrine
"It is beautiful to see the way in which
divine doctrine enters into the details of
life, and throws the fragrance of its perfection into every duty and every
relationship; how it acknowledges existing things, as far as they can be
owned and directed by its principles, but exalts and enhances the value of
everything according to the perfection of those principles; by touching not
the relationships but the man's heart who walks in them; taking the moral
side, and that of submission, in love and in the exercise of authority which
the divine doctrine can regulate, bringing in the grace which governs the
use of the authority of God." J. N. Darby
(http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/synopsis/ephesians/ephesians6.html)
Vital Principle
Theosophy and
vital principle H. P. Blavatsky wrote in
1888:
The "wave motion of living
particles" becomes comprehensible on the theory of a Spiritual ONE LIFE, of
a universal Vital principle independent of
our matter,
and manifesting as atomic energy only on our
plane of consciousness. (The
Secret Doctrine II, 672.)
http://www.blavatsky.net/magazine/theosophy/ww/setting/physics.html
Darby and
vital principle
"The aggressive action which is the
vital principle of all dissenting energy, be it for good or for evil,
its professed disconnection with the State, debars it from this place."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/DOCTRINE/15016E.html
Vital Energy
Theosophy and vital
energy
"Most
people who have taken the Seven Ray Intensive report life-changing
adjustments to their path and an increase of
vital energy and
spiritual connectedness."
http://www.thelotus.org/7rays.html
Darby and vital energy
"Moreover, here is the emphasis, the point of association as the communion of
all vital energy, the standard and
communication of fulness, and thus all fulness is there. But as the branch
bears nothing out of the vine, but withers itself, so we bear no fruit but
as abiding in Christ, and this
practically proportionately, for all the fulness is in Him." http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/NOTESCOM/47015E.html
Energy of Love
Theosophy and energy of love
"Bailey wrote of "the return of the Christ",
but her concept had little in common with that of mainstream Christian
churches. Bailey almost always used the phrase "the Christ" when not
referring specifically to the Christian idea. For her, the leadership of the
Hierarchy is an "office" (so to speak), to be occupied by various Masters,
including the Master Jesus, in the course of Their unfolding evolution. She
saw the Christ as a great "Person", embodying the
energy of love, and His return as the awakening of that energy in
human consciousness."
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/alice_bailey_and_lucis_trust.html
Darby and energy of love
"For here it seems to be, in the largest sense, the love of God. Of course,
it means God's loving us; but it includes also the blessed fact that no
matter what the state of evil may be, as long as the Lord leaves His Church
here, there is room for this energy of love to
others." http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/New7_96/Jude_20-25.html
Lord of Love
Theosophy and Lord of Love
"He is known to be the great Lord of Love and
Compassion, the Master of the Masters, the Instructor of the Angels and the "One
for Whom all the nations wait." And, this Great Being is also known under such
additional titles as the True Aquarian, the Pilgrim, the Healer and the
Thinker.” Bailey, Alice A. The Reappearance of the Christ, Page 190.
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/alice_bailey_and_lucis_trust.html
Darby and Lord of Love
"But the patience of
the
Lord of love is never wearied by the obstinate perverseness of His people."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/EVANGEL/12001E.html
Divine Intelligence
Theosophy and divine
intelligence
Alice Bailey: "On
theological interpretations there are wide differences; on a widespread
recognition of a universal divine Intelligence or of God (by whatever
name the all-embracing Life may be called) there is a general similarity of
reaction."
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/externalisation/exte1087.html
Darby and divine
intelligence
"The three parables which follow (v. 44-50) shew the intention of Christ, and
divine intelligence, in these things. The field is
purchased to obtain the treasure. Christ has bought (not redeemed) the world to
possess His own. His power over those who refuse His rights will be manifested
in judgment, but this is not the subject of the parable."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/MISCELLA/33012F.html
the Coming One
Theosophy and the Coming One
"Forgetting the things that lie behind, I will strive towards my higher
spiritual possibilities. I dedicate myself anew to the service of
the Coming One and will do all I can to prepare
men's minds and hearts for that event. I have no other life intention."
Discipleship in the New Age.Vol.11, p.226
http://newlight.org.nz/roc/quotes.htm
Darby
and the Coming One
The axe is at the root of the trees, the fan is in the hand of
the coming One, the wheat is gathered into God's
garner, the chaff burnt up. That is, there is a close of the history of God's
people in judgment. http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/darby/synopsis/matthew/matthew3.html
More Masonic/Theosophical terms J.N. Darby and/or other Brethren
leaders used in their theological Works
(This list is not
exhaustive. The information used to provide the citations below was found on the
Stem Publishing website.)
Divine Architect (A J Pollock)
Architect of the Universe (C E Stuart, Elliot Stock)
energy of the Holy Spirit (J. N. Darby, W. Kelly, W. H.
Westcott, J Wilson Smith, H. P. Barker, H. J. Vine, William J Hocking,
F. B. Hole, J T Mawson, H J Vine, A J Pollock, Forbes
Witherby, G. Davison, Frederick W. Grant, Hamilton Smith, C. H. Mackintosh, R.
Beacon, H. Forbes Witherby, John Wilson-Smith, Andrew Miller, Edward Dennet, W.
T. P. Wolston, G. C. Willis, W. G. Turner, L M Grant)
white light
as used by Brethren preacher W.G. Turner: "In
the presence of that intensely white light, the differences in degree of guilt
between the woman and her accusers vanished, as each man realised his own
unfitness to undertake the office of executing judgment on a fellow sinner."
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/turner/WGT_Christian_Life.html
"Active Energy": Unbiblical/Occult Term Used to Preach God's Attributes
active energy was
frequently used by John Darby. Active energy actually means
evil spirits
but Darby has God using active energy to accomplish salvation:
active energy means good: "There was unity of
purpose in all the active energy of accomplishing salvation
between the Father and the Son." (Thoughts on John 17)
Darby also had active energy mean evil:
"He is what fills the scene morally when the apostasy takes place - the
active energy which works in man." (Enquiry as to the
Antichrist of Prophecy)
active energy as used by William Kelly: "If I say that God is love, I bring out
what He is in the active energy of His holy nature. (Ephesians
4-6)
active energy as used by C Crain: "It [light] is ceaselessly, uniformly active,
symbolizing thus the active energy in God by which He
ceaselessly and uniformly asserts or expresses His moral character." (Readings
on the First Epistle of John)
active energy as used by Frederick W. Grant: "It is God manifesting Himself in
[relation to] the world of His creation, as 7 is, but now in active
energy laying hold of and transforming it." (Spiritual Law in the
Natural World : Chapter 6)
active energy as used by E. Dennet: "He was ever the holy One as He passed
through this world ever undefiled, notwithstanding that He came continually into
contact with sin and evil. He could even touch the unclean leper and yet not be
contaminated; for the active energy of His own holy being
repelled all the defiling influences of the scene through which He was passing."
active energy as used by F. G. Patterson: "There is also the active
energy of evil in those who, "reprobate concerning the faith," are
deceiving and being deceived; from such the man of God was to turn away, leaving
them to the judgment of God." (Government, Grace, and Glory)
active energy as used by Arthur Pridham: "That perennial flow of pure and joyful
confidence, which should not cease within the heart in which God dwells, can
only be maintained where first the strength of nature has been withered, and the
sufficing riches of the love of Christ are drawn forth from the wells of
salvation by the active energy of faith." (Notes and
Reflections on the Psalms)
active energy as used in the Stem Publishing website Bible Dictionary T 2, U:
"They had been characterised by ungodliness, but the kindness and love of the
Saviour-God having appeared, He according to His mercy had saved them by the
washing of regeneration (the moral cleansing connected with the new order of
things in Christianity: cf.
Matt. 19:28), and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which He had richly poured out
upon them through Jesus Christ their Saviour (the 'renewal' is more than new
birth, it is the Spirit's active energy in the believer), that,
having been justified by His grace, they should become heirs according to the
hope of eternal life."
active energy as used by Frederick W. Grant: "Now, as an ordinal number, the
first, the beginning: He who is in true active energy the
beginning, is Creator, Life-giver, Father; counsel and election connect with it;
and sovereignty is implied in all of this." (Spiritual Mathematics)
active energy as used by William Kelly: "In principle too can anything be
plainer? Hatred certainly is not of God; love is, being the reflex of the
active energy in God's nature." (Epistles of John — Addresses
10 - 20.)
active energy as used by A. Miller: "We have now had before us the several parts
of the armour of God — the panoply of heaven — that which refers to our state,
both inwardly and outwardly — self-judgment, governed affections, practical
godliness, confidence in God, a peaceful and peace-making walk, joy in
salvation, the active energy of the Spirit, both in the sword
and girdle by the word." Meditations on Christian Standing)
divine teacher
blessed One (The Bible does not refer to
God as "the blessed One", but Theosophy refers to their deity by this name)
divine knowledge
(See footnote #2 below)
divine wisdom
(See footnote
#2 below)
union with Christ
union with God
consummation of the age
the One (title for
Antichrist) spiritual intelligence
God-consciousness
Great Architect
(used by Hocking, Miller)
Divine Architect (used by C. Stanley)
metaphysical
Metaphysically
Metaphysicians
Metaphysics
enlightenment
consummation of the ages
divine energy
divine essence
divine intelligence
all-seeing-eye (used by C. Knapp, J.T. Mawson
and Walter Scott)
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/knapp/Kings_Judah_Israel.html
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/mawson/Emmanuel.htmland
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/Walter_Scott/WS_Revelation03.html
mystical body
energy
spiritual energy
human consciousness
unintelligent energy
energy of faith
radiance of light
Universal Principle
Universal Truth
Principle
unconditional love
(used by William Kelly
http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/kelly/3nt_int/johnint.html)
slave (in reference to Christians)
divine light
divine law
divine spirit
divine order
divine love
divine teaching
divine glory
divine thought
divine plan
divine union
Notes:
(1) Books on ancient Theosophy (See:
http://www.ultindia.org/ancient_books.html)
(2)
When asked if Theosophy was just a
new-fangled religion, Helena Blavatsky replied,
“It is not.
Theosophy is Divine Knowledge or Science.”
She also referred to it as “Divine Wisdom,” explaining that
Theosophy forms the
“…substratum and basis of all the world-religions and
philosophies, taught and practised since man became a thinking being. In its
practical bearing, Theosophy is purely divine ethics.”
(Source: http://www.theosophywatch.com/theosophy)
(3) See:
Recovery Through
Darby and the Brethren http://www.johndarby.org/recovery/index.html
More examples of J.N. Darby's and other Brethren theologians' use of
Theosophical terminology may be found at stempublishing.com.
Do you
really believe John Darby's (and other Brethren leaders) use of Theosophical
terms is merely a coincidence?
Spanish translation
-- John Nelson Darby:
¿Teosofista
de Closet?
(PDF)
Also See:
John
Darby's Christ Compared to Alice Bailey's Theosophical Christ
Occult/New Age Markings on the John Darby Bible
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