It is safe to say, we’ve not seen this “new propaganda of Buddhism” yet, but I believe it is most needed. In reality, the work of developing a new brotherhood or federation of individuals of a theosophic inclination, cannot in our time, nor as it was in the nineteenth-century, be left to the mercy of scholars nor in other comforts. It lies in living, traveling and creating the history. In North Asia, Central Europe, South America, through Central Asia and in India, to Pakistan and Afghanistan and so forth, there is need for a new gradually impeding effort of a brave sort and a propagation of ideas among and with not only the peoples of various troubled regions, but the authorities and groups governing them. However, these are my own ideas as a theosophist, as I believe this work will be accomplished at even the potential risk of such individual bodies to certain political influences, even so-called liberationist or terrorist elements.

This article from a publication of the Theosophical Company in India explains the issue with the Monotheistic religions in our day leading into Blavatsky’s words to Buddhists on the need for the sincere and genuine spread of Buddhist teaching:

“We must distinguish at the outset between theology and philosophy. One is sectarian, the other is universal. Theologians make poor philosophers because they are partial to their own religious creed, and instead of seeking truth, are only eager to prove a dogma already asserted. Take Christian theology, or Islamic theology, or Hindu theology, and one will not only not see daylight in the befogged atmosphere; one is also likely to become a partisan, a dogmatic asserter, and to develop into a fanatic.

So in the study of our subject we shall avoid theology and go to philosophy. The religious confusion prevalent everywhere today may be traced to the blunder of the theologian and the priest. When the priest abandoned the way of the philosopher and followed the theologian, his knowledge became belief. In the olden days, priests were philosophers; and more, occultists or yogis, who knew the truths and facts about God, Spirit, Atman. Universality was the keynote of the teachings of the ancient world. Take India, for example: philosophers studied fundamental problems from different points of view; therefore the six schools of Indian philosophy are called Darshamas. (…)

Theologians and priests of all religions confuse the mind and bring to birth sectarians. The Christian goes to church to pray, but he is rarely able to define to whom or to what he prays; let him examine the foundations of his church, the soul of his church-ceremonials, and he cannot escape belief in a personal god. The ordinary Christian does not directly believe in an old, bearded person beyond the sky, but indirectly, in a thousand ways, the influence of that nefarious idea works its evil.” (Monotheism or Polytheism, “The Theosophical Movement,” September Issue 2001, Theosophy Company.)

“That the whole area of Protestantdom is now ready to embrace some new faith which seems more consoling than Protestantism and more reasonable than Romanism, is so palpable and undeniable that no well-informed, disinterested observer will gainsay the statement. This conviction induced the founders of our Society to organize for the quest after primitive truth. And it makes some of us believe that the auspicious hour has come for the Buddhists to begin preparing for a new propaganda of Buddhism.” (H.P.B.)

The Decadence of Protestant ChristianiTY, THE THEOSOPHIST, SEPTEMBER 1880

“Doubts have been expressed by Asiatic friends as to the truth of our assertion that Protestantism was fast approaching the crisis of its fate. Yet it needs only to visit any Protestant country to satisfy oneself of this fact. We find copied with approval into one of the most rabid organs of the Roman Church—the Catholic Mirror—an editorial article from the New York Times, a leading American newspaper peculiarly devoted to the interests of an orthodox Protestant public, containing the following significant warning:

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The Protestant clergy do not seem to be aware of the formidable warfare which is now waging against revealed religion. The defences. which were effective against the noisy artillery of Paine, are useless against the noiseless and ceaseless sapping and mining with which Rationalism attacks them. Orthodox Protestantism shuts its eyes to the fact that science and literature are in the hands of its enemies. It refuses to perceive that the ground on which it stands is slipping from under its feet; that Germany, which, at the call of Luther, accepted the infallible Book in place of the self-styled infallible Church, has now rejected the Book, and that the new reformation, which reforms Christianity out of existence, is spreading all over the Protestant world.

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The result will, according to the Times, accrue to the profit of the Romish Church. It foresees, in fact, that the latter may become “far stronger than she has been at any time since the Reformation.” Certainly the sudden outbreak of bigoted fervour over the pretended “miracles” in France and, more recently, Ireland, and the growing perversions of Anglican priests and laity show a decided drift in the direction indicated. Men in the mass do not think but feel, are emotional rather than rational and go by flocks and swarms to that religion which most appeals to the emotions and imagination and least to the reason. That the whole area of Protestantdom is now ready to embrace some new faith which seems more consoling than Protestantism and more reasonable than Romanism, is so palpable and undeniable that no well-informed, disinterested observer will gainsay the statement. This conviction induced the founders of our Society to organize for the quest after primitive truth. And it makes some of us believe that the auspicious hour has come for the Buddhists to begin preparing for a new propaganda of Buddhism.” (Helena P. Blavatsky)