Theos-Talk Archives (December 1996 Message tt00030)

If I could throw in my two cents:

I think the original intent of the E.S.  (1886-7) was to form an
"inner circle" of the T.S., meaning that in a philosophical
sense, not a political sense.  But as soon as these plans became
public, an outcry was raised that this E.S.  would be running
things in the T.S., and that HPB would have Papal control of the
T.S.  Olcott was at the head of such charges.

So HPB officially formed the E.S.  (1888) as an entirely separate
affair, at the same time practically renouncing nearly all ties
to the T.S., having already resigned her unique position as
Corresponding Secretary.

The original E.S.  had about 300 applicants, and HPB undertook to
teach them directly with circulars and Instructions emanating from
her own office.  After about a year, 12 students were
hand-picked in the London area to form an "Inner Group" of the
E.S., and met weekly to begin PRACTICAL occultism.  After HPB's
death the Inner Group was shut down, and William Q.  Judge and
Annie Besant were placed in charge of the Inner School.

After their very public split, the E.S.  also split, with Mr.
Judge largely carrying on in the fashion of HPB, while Annie
Besant (and later Leadbeater) began a production of newer and
more exciting "Instructions." After Mr.  Judge's death the two
Esoteric Sections seem to have faded into uselessness, with the
Pasadena T.S.  eventually shutting theirs down and the Adyar
section becoming more and more authoritarian and concerned with
revelations about Krishnamurti.

Rich