The Light of Asia was the most popular work produced by Sir Edwin Arnold, an English poet and journalist. This work is also known as The Great Renunciation (Mahâbhinishkramana). The Light of Asia is a narrative poem that focuses on presenting the life and context of Prince Gautama Buddha, and is considered an adaptation of the Lalitavistara. While Buddhism was well-known across Asia, outside of the continent, very little was known. The Light of Asia helped spread knowledge and awareness of Buddhism around the world, particularly for a Western audience. Since its original publication, it has been translated into over thirty languages.
Tag: religion
A Short Unitarian History
Unitarianism is a theological movement which at its start proclaimed that God is a singular entity, rather than a trinity. It rejects other tenants common in Christianity, such as the concept of original sin and the Bible as infallible. The belief emerged during the 1600s and spread quickly through Europe and the United States, particularly among the educated and wealthy classes. One of the earliest places it arrived in the United States was in New England.
Siddhartha: Life of the Buddha
Siddhartha: Life of the Buddha is an illustrated story for adults and children about the Buddha’s birth, enlightenment and work for social justice. It includes illustrations from Pagan, Burma which are provided by Rev. Sitagu Sayadaw. The story is inspirational about the perfection of wisdom, translating spiritual practice into action aimed at healing the world.
The Quakers, From Their Origin Till the Present Time: An International History
Although the term Quaker was popular at the time, the official, formal name is the Religious Society of Friends. The movement arose in the mid-17th century in England. By the time John Cunningham first wrote this work in 1867, interest and believers in the faith had spread around the world.
The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang: By the Shaman Hwui Li
Hiuen-Tsiang, also known as Xuanzang, was a Chinese Buddhist monk, traveler, researcher, and translator of the seventh century. Born in 602, he was primarily known for his travels to Southeast Asia, in what is now known as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, where he wrote about Chinese and Indian Buddhist practices.
Our Father: The Lord’s Prayer for Our Persecutors
by Charles L. Manto Purchase Color Edition in Print or Kindle | Purchase Greyscale Edition in Print “As sometimes happens, this new perception of the prayer opens a window of new possibilities…an invitation to new ways of prayer and of action in relation to personal and corporate conflicts. It is a discovery of hidden treasure.”… Continue reading Our Father: The Lord’s Prayer for Our Persecutors
Report of the Trial of Friends, in the City of Philadelphia, June, 1828, Before the Honorable Edward King: Or, the Case of Edmund Shotwell, Joseph Lukins, Charles Middleton, and Two Others
Transcribed by M. T. C. Gould Purchase There were several Meetings in Philadelphia, and the trial detailed here arose out of a conflict between two local Friends groups and a burying ground. Part of a wall was removed, and a gate was erected, along with some temporary buildings. Besides the three Friends, Edmund Shotwell, Joseph… Continue reading Report of the Trial of Friends, in the City of Philadelphia, June, 1828, Before the Honorable Edward King: Or, the Case of Edmund Shotwell, Joseph Lukins, Charles Middleton, and Two Others
Western Mysticism: The Teaching of SS Augustine, Gregory and Bernard on Contemplation and the Contemplative Life
by Cuthbert Butler Purchase Author Cuthbert Butler argued, “There is probably no more misused word…than ‘mysticism.’ It has come to be applied to many things of many kinds: to theosophy and Christian science; to spiritualism and clairvoyance; to demonology and witchcraft; to occultism and magic; to weird psychical experiences, if only they have some religious… Continue reading Western Mysticism: The Teaching of SS Augustine, Gregory and Bernard on Contemplation and the Contemplative Life
Select Historical Memoirs of the Religious Society of Friends, Commonly Called Quakers: Being a Succinct Account of Their Character and Course During the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
by William Hodgson Purchase William Hodgson Jr. was born on May 24th, 1804 in England. His father was a Unitarian minister, but after hearing from a Quaker, Thomas Scattergood, he converted and joined the Society of Friends. Hodgson Jr. relocated to Philadelphia in 1827, where he would go on to marry his wife, Elizabeth Richardson… Continue reading Select Historical Memoirs of the Religious Society of Friends, Commonly Called Quakers: Being a Succinct Account of Their Character and Course During the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
Extracts From the Minutes and Epistles of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Held in London
by Religious Society of Friends Purchase The Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain was known as the London Yearly Meeting until 1995. It was a place for Friends to come together from across the United Kingdom, held in various places across England, the Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales. The tradition… Continue reading Extracts From the Minutes and Epistles of the Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Held in London
A Buddhist Catechism: An Outline of the Doctrine of the Buddha Gotama in the Form of Question and Answer
by Subhadra Bhikshu Purchase Subhadra Bhikshu, also known as Friedrich Albert Oswald Zimmermann, was born in 1852 in Degerlach. He was a journalist, a writer and a Buddhist. Bhikshu wrote this work to offer insight on Buddhism, aimed at primarily European audiences. As he wrote in the preface of Buddhism, “a doctrine free from dogma… Continue reading A Buddhist Catechism: An Outline of the Doctrine of the Buddha Gotama in the Form of Question and Answer
Spiritualism: A Popular History from 1847
by Joseph Martin McCabe Purchase Joseph Martin McCabe was born on November 12, 1867. At the age of 15 he began training in the Franciscan order, and in 1890 was ordained. He was praised for his excellent scholarly work, especially in philosophy and was selected to study at the Catholic University of Louvain. By February… Continue reading Spiritualism: A Popular History from 1847
Friends in the Seventeenth Century
by Charles Evans Purchase When introducing his work, Charles Evans wrote the following, “The motive that has prompted the preparation of the present work, has been the hope that, by thus bringing the substance of the principal parts of the narratives of other writers into a more condensed form, the members of the religious Society… Continue reading Friends in the Seventeenth Century
A Visit to a Gñani: From Adam’s Peak to Elephanta
by Virginia Huntington Robie Purchase Virginia Huntington Robie was born on October 18, 1868 in Salmon Falls, New Hampshire. She enjoyed the immense benefits of education throughout her childhood, and she went on to attend the School of Decorative Design at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and later the Art Institute in Chicago. Her… Continue reading A Visit to a Gñani: From Adam’s Peak to Elephanta
Ancient Stained and Painted Glass
by Frederick Sydney Eden Purchase Frederick Sydney Eden (1859-1950) became well known for his significant writings on the subject of stained glass. Previously, he was a lawyer, but had gotten caught up in some fraud regarding an estate, which landed him in jail for six years. However, he covered up his past, and it largely… Continue reading Ancient Stained and Painted Glass
The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume II
by John Fiske Purchase John Fiske was born on March 30, 1842 in Hartford, Connecticut as Edmund Fiske Green. Fiske was raised by his paternal grandmother who enjoyed an excellent education, learning Latin and Greek at a very early age, moving on to other languages as a teen, including Spanish, Hebrew and Sanskrit. He attended… Continue reading The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume II
The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume I
by John Fiske Purchase John Fiske was born on March 30, 1842 in Hartford, Connecticut as Edmund Fiske Green. Fiske was raised by his paternal grandmother who enjoyed an excellent education, learning Latin and Greek at a very early age, moving on to other languages as a teen, including Spanish, Hebrew and Sanskrit. He attended… Continue reading The Dutch and Quaker Colonies in America: Volume I
Beat the Drum Ecclesiastic: Gilbert Sheldon and the Settlement of Anglican Orthodoxy
by Heather D. Thornton Purchase Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury (1663-77) was at the helm during the time the Church of England sought to remake and redefine itself in the aftermath of not only the Civil Wars, Interregnum, but the Restoration Settlement as well. He aided in the preservation of a remnant of the Church… Continue reading Beat the Drum Ecclesiastic: Gilbert Sheldon and the Settlement of Anglican Orthodoxy
The Remains of William Penn: Pennsylvania’s Plea, the Mission to England, Visit to the Grave, Letters, Etc
by George L. Harrison Purchase William Penn was born in London, England, on October 14, 1644, and would become many things, including a father, husband, legal and religious figure. He is most well known for founding the state of Pennsylvania. Penn was born into a family of wealth and political power, and as such, he… Continue reading The Remains of William Penn: Pennsylvania’s Plea, the Mission to England, Visit to the Grave, Letters, Etc
The Soul of a People
by H. Fielding Hall Purchase The Soul of a People was originally released in 1898. Written by Harold Fielding Hall, a British official sent to Burma (now Myanmar) to take part in the Burma Commission. Hall lived for many years in Burma, and wrote this account of the places, people and of Buddhism as he… Continue reading The Soul of a People
Masonry and Protestantism
by Susanna Hopkins Mason Purchase Social history as a corrective to a historiography is often too limited to diplomacy and wars. It began an upward trajectory as early as the 1930s, but it remains constrained by the frustrating cost and availability of materials that even great research libraries lack. This volume is a case in… Continue reading Masonry and Protestantism
Transylvania in 1922: Report of the Commission Sent by the American and British Unitarian Churches to Transylvania in 1922
by Louis C. Cornish Purchase In 1922, a joint commission of US and UK Unitarian Churches traveled to Transylvania after concerns over religions persecution arose in a prior visit in 1920. The Commission was gladdened to see an increase in liberty, but upset to discover that the Romanian government was not wholly supportive of not… Continue reading Transylvania in 1922: Report of the Commission Sent by the American and British Unitarian Churches to Transylvania in 1922
The Durable Satisfactions of Life
by Charles William Eliot Purchase Born into a wealthy Boston family, Eliot was fortunate enough to concentrate on his studies and have the ability to attend Boston Latin School, and then later graduate from Harvard University in 1853. However, after the Panic of 1857, Eliot’s family lost much of its wealth. Eliot decided to visit… Continue reading The Durable Satisfactions of Life
Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania
by Thomas Woody PhD Purchase Born on September 3, 1891, in Thorntown, Indiana, to a Quaker family. Woody would remain in Indiana for his B.A., which he obtained from Indiana University. Later he could go on to earn his PhD in 1918 from Columbia University. Woody wrote a great deal about Quakers, formally known as… Continue reading Early Quaker Education in Pennsylvania
The London Friends’ Meetings
by William Beck and Thomas Frederick Ball Purchase The London Friends’ Meetings is a significant expansion on a lecture given by William Beck in 1856, “The London Friends’ Meeting-houses and Their Associations.” Co-author, Thomas Frederick Ball spent a great time doing research in minute-books and other holdings of the Friends in London. The records offer… Continue reading The London Friends’ Meetings
Old Quaker Meeting-Houses
by John Russell Hayes Purchase John Russell Hayes (1866-1945) was a Quaker educator, poet, and worked as a librarian for Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He was born in 1866, to William and Rachel Hayes, a family of Quaker farmers. Hayes spent much of his time on his family’s farm, which was located near the Brandywine… Continue reading Old Quaker Meeting-Houses
The Mad Monk of Russia, Iliodor: Life, Memoirs, and Confessions of Sergei Michailovich Trufanoff
by Sergei Michailovich Trufanov Purchase Sergei Michailovich Trufanov, also known as Hieromonk Iliodor, was born on October 19, 1880 in a small village near the Don River. Despite crushing poverty, which claimed several of his siblings, Trufanov was able to attend several years of school and then entered the local seminary. He went on to… Continue reading The Mad Monk of Russia, Iliodor: Life, Memoirs, and Confessions of Sergei Michailovich Trufanoff
Discourses and Poems of William Newell, Minister of the First Parish in Cambridge: A Memorial Volume
by William Newell Purchase On February 25, 1804, William Newell was born in Littleton, Massachusetts. He graduated from Boston Latin School in 1818, and then earned an AB from Harvard in 1824 and an AM in 1827. Two years later, he graduated from Harvard Divinity School. He was well regarded, and quickly found a post… Continue reading Discourses and Poems of William Newell, Minister of the First Parish in Cambridge: A Memorial Volume
Quaker Women, 1650-1690
by Mabel Richmond Brailsford Purchase Mabel Richmond Brailsford was not a Friend, but this work is considered to be truthful, extremely well researched, and also sympathetic. Brailsford did extensive research at the Library at Devonshire House in order to complete the portraits of numerous Quaker women, such as Margaret Fell, Barbara Blaugdone, Elizabeth Hooton, Elizabeth… Continue reading Quaker Women, 1650-1690
The Quaker of the Future Time
by George A. Walton Purchase The William Penn Lectures were put together by the Young Friends Movement of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. George A. Walton was a member of the organization, and gave this lecture. In it, among other principles, he discusses the impact labor has on the current world. He advocates for living faith in… Continue reading The Quaker of the Future Time
Unitarian Affirmations: Seven Discourses Given in Washington, D.C.
by Seven Unitarian Ministers Purchase Unitarianism is a theological movement which at its start proclaimed that God is a singular entity, rather than a trinity. It rejects other tenants common in Christianity, such as the concept of original sin and the Bible as infallible. The belief emerged during the 1600s and spread quickly through Europe… Continue reading Unitarian Affirmations: Seven Discourses Given in Washington, D.C.
Discourses and Reviews Upon Questions in Controversial Theology and Practical Religion
by Orville Dewey Purchase Orville Dewey was born in Sheffield, Massachusetts on March 28, 1794. He spent his time in school and also working on his family’s farm. His household was strongly Calvinist, due to his mother. Both intelligent and studious, Dewey excelled in school, graduating from Williams College, and then later attended Andover Theological… Continue reading Discourses and Reviews Upon Questions in Controversial Theology and Practical Religion
Oriental Mysticism: A Treatise on Sufiistic and Unitarian Theosophy of the Persians
by Edward Henry Palmer Purchase Edward Henry Palmer put together this work that was based on a Persian manuscript, Maksad i Aksá by Azíz bin Mohammed Nafasí. The work sheds some light on Sufis, a Islamic mysticism, which is often characterized as offering the internalization and intensification of Islamic faith.As a child, Palmer enjoyed the… Continue reading Oriental Mysticism: A Treatise on Sufiistic and Unitarian Theosophy of the Persians
From the Heart of Israel: Jewish Tales and Types
by Rabbi Dr. Bernard Drachman Purchase through Amazon Rabbi Dr. Bernard Drachman was born on June 27, 1861 in New York City. He received his early education at High School, Jersey City, NJ, and the Hebrew Preparatory School before going on to earn his B.A from Columbia College. Afterwards, he earned his rabbinic ordination from… Continue reading From the Heart of Israel: Jewish Tales and Types
Our Quaker Friends of Ye Olden Time: Being in part a transcript of the minute books of Cedar Creek meeting, Hanover County, and the South River Meeting, Campbell County, Va
by James Pinkney Pleasant Bell Purchase through Amazon Publisher James Bell was moved to print these various meeting notes and announcements since his mother’s family were members of the Society of Friends. As Bell states, “…sometimes in my early childhood I attended their meetings for worship, held in the old Meetinghouse at Golansville, in Caroline… Continue reading Our Quaker Friends of Ye Olden Time: Being in part a transcript of the minute books of Cedar Creek meeting, Hanover County, and the South River Meeting, Campbell County, Va
Old and New Unitarian Belief
by John White Chadwick Purchase through Amazon Born in 1840, John White Chadwick was initially to become a shoemaker. Although he was in the middle of an apprenticeship, he preferred to continue a non-trade education. During his education at normal school in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, he determined his calling in life was to become a minister.… Continue reading Old and New Unitarian Belief
Unitarianism: Its Origin and History: A Course of Sixteen Lectures Delivered in Channing Hall, Boston, 1888-9
by American Unitarian Association Purchase through Amazon Unitarianism is a theological movement which at its start proclaimed that God is a singular entity, rather than a trinity. It rejects other tenants common in Christianity, such as the concept of original sin and the Bible as infallible. The belief emerged during the 1600s and spread quickly… Continue reading Unitarianism: Its Origin and History: A Course of Sixteen Lectures Delivered in Channing Hall, Boston, 1888-9
Mashrak-el-Azkar: Descriptive of the Bahai Temple and Illustrative of an Exhibition of Preliminary Designs for the First Mashrak-el-Azkar to be Built in America
by Charles Mason Remey Purchase through Amazon Charles Mason Remey (1874-1974) was the son of Admiral George Collier Remey and grew up in Washington DC, at 1527 New Hampshire Ave NW, which is now the home of Westphalia Press, the Policy Studies Organization, and of the American Political Science Association. He drew detailed plans and… Continue reading Mashrak-el-Azkar: Descriptive of the Bahai Temple and Illustrative of an Exhibition of Preliminary Designs for the First Mashrak-el-Azkar to be Built in America
Catholic Problems in Western Canada
by George Thomas Daly, Preface by Most Reverend O. E. Mathieu Purchase through Amazon George Thomas Daly was a Catholic leader who worked in Eastern Canada, but was asked to relocate to Western Canada to spread the religion. In this work, he discusses the desire to spread Catholicism westward across the country, and the complexities… Continue reading Catholic Problems in Western Canada
Checkered Life: In the Old and New World
by Rev. J. L. Ver Mehr Purchase through Amazon When J. L Ver Mehr, also known as Jean Leonhard Henri Corneille Ver Mehr, passed away in 1886. The following served as his obituary: A Brief Sketch of the Life of a Pioneer Clergyman Rev. Dr. J. L. Ver Mehr, of whose death brief mention was… Continue reading Checkered Life: In the Old and New World
The Occult World: Teachings of Occult Philosophy
by A. P. Sinnett Purchase through Amazon Alfred Percy Sinnett (1840-1921), a journalist and Theosophist, wrote frequently to members of the Brotherhood of Adepts, an occult organization. The famous Mahatmas Koot Hoomi and Morya corresponded via mail with Sinnett, and Sinnett used parts of this correspondence to compose The Occult World. Together, along with others,… Continue reading The Occult World: Teachings of Occult Philosophy
Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks
by Ralph Connor Purchase through Amazon Originally published in 1898, Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks was written by Rev. Dr. Charles William Gordon, using the penname Ralph Connor. Gordon was a leader in the Presbyterian and then later on the United Church, so he wanted to protect his status and keep both roles… Continue reading Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks
James Freeman Clarke: Autobiography, Diary and Correspondence
by Edward Everett Hale Purchase through Amazon James Freeman Clarke was born on April 4, 1810 in New Hampshire. He was well educated, attending Harvard College, then Harvard Divinity School. He studied to be a minister in the Unitarian faith, taking the pulpit in Louisville, Kentucky. Seeing firsthand the horrors of slavery, he became a… Continue reading James Freeman Clarke: Autobiography, Diary and Correspondence
The Occult Arts: An Examination of the Claims Made for the Existence of Supernormal Powers
by J. W. Frings Purchase through Amazon J.W. Fring opens by noting he is skeptical of any claims of the supernatural. He defines supernatural broadly, and dedicates chapters to a variety of manifestations, including alchemy, telepathy, palmistry, and hypnotism. Fring chooses to highlight multiple versions of the supernatural, broadly defining, it, and then offers some points… Continue reading The Occult Arts: An Examination of the Claims Made for the Existence of Supernormal Powers
The Huguenots in France: After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes with Memoirs of Distinguished Huguenot Refugees, and A Visit to the Country of Voudois
by Samuel Smiles Purchase through Amazon The Huguenots are French Protestants, a denomination that began during the early sixteenth century. Their place in French society oscillated between their being celebrated and defamed. On August 24, 1572, while marking Saint Bartholomew’s Day, thousands of Huguenots were massacred. After decades of fighting occurred, a guarantee of peace… Continue reading The Huguenots in France: After the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes with Memoirs of Distinguished Huguenot Refugees, and A Visit to the Country of Voudois
The Bahai Movement: A Series of Nineteen Papers
by Charles Mason Remey Purchase through Amazon Charles Mason Remey (1874-1974) was the son of Admiral George Collier Remey and grew up in Washington DC, at 1527 New Hampshire Avenue NW, which is now the home of Westphalia Press and the Policy Studies Organization, and the American Political Science Association.. He drew detailed plans and… Continue reading The Bahai Movement: A Series of Nineteen Papers
A Series of Twelve Articles Introductory to the Study of the Baha’i Teachings
by Charles Mason Remey Purchase through Amazon Charles Mason Remey (1874-1974) was the son of Admiral George Collier Remey and grew up in Washington DC, at 1527 New Hampshire Avenue NW, which is now the headquarters of Westphalia Press and the Policy Studies Organization. He drew plans and did a survey of the house, which… Continue reading A Series of Twelve Articles Introductory to the Study of the Baha’i Teachings
The Great Indian Religions: Being a Popular Account of Brahmanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism
by G. T. Bettany Purchase through Amazon G. T. (George Thomas) Bettany (1850-1891) was born and educated in England, attending Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge University, studying medicine and the natural sciences. He also attended London University in 1871, taking a degree in geology, and later receiving an MA six years later. He lectured… Continue reading The Great Indian Religions: Being a Popular Account of Brahmanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism
The Old Spanish Missions of California: A Historical and Descriptive Sketch
by Paul Elder Purchase through Amazon There were twenty one Spanish missions in California, established between 1769 and 1833 by Catholic priests to spread Christianity. Paul Elder collected various snippets of California history and compiled it in this work with quotes from various primary sources and photographs of numerous missions across the state, which presents… Continue reading The Old Spanish Missions of California: A Historical and Descriptive Sketch
Story of the Huguenots: A Sixteenth Century Narrative Wherein the French, Spaniards and Indians Were the Actors
by F. A. Mann Purchase through Amazon The Huguenots are French Protestants, a product of turmoil during the early sixteenth century. The Huguenot community oscillated between celebration and persecution in France. On August 24, 1572, while celebrating Saint Bartholomew’s Day, thousands of Huguenots were massacred. After decades of fighting occurred, an edict of peace was… Continue reading Story of the Huguenots: A Sixteenth Century Narrative Wherein the French, Spaniards and Indians Were the Actors
Westphalia Press 