Theos-Talk Archives (August 1997 Message tt00053)

Brother J. S. Yungka's comments are valuable, I think.

Dear friend and brother:

I believe your perceptions are correct, one of HPB's pupils
wrote:

> There is a very great difference between the Theosophical
> Movement and any Theosophical Society. The Movement is moral,
> ethical, spiritual, universal, invisible save in effect and
> continuous A Society formed for theosophical work is a viable
> organization, an effect, a mancine for conserving energy and
> putting it to use; it is not nor can it be universal, nor is it
> continuous...The Theosophical Movement being continuous, it is to
> be found in all times and in all nations. Wherever thought has
> struggled to be free, wherever spiritual ideas as opposd to forms
> and dogmatism, have been promulgated, there the great movement is
> to be discerned.
>
> Article: "The Theosophical Movement" THE PATH, August 1895 -
> Editor.

Thanks for indicating the cross reference of TRANSACTIONS to Vol.
10 of the COLLECTED WRITINGS - BLAVATSKY.

"Leadership" (as I understand it) relates to the outer formal
bodies or societies. Individuals are leaders for themselves. No
one can reduce their right to make decisions. Some however,
fancy that entering a society or brothehrood, thereby enables
them to pass some, if not all of the blame, resulting from
decisions-making to such a "leader". False. We each make our
decisions and pay for them ourselves. Do you recall Kipling's
poem TOMLINSON ? It is worth looking up and rereading if you know
of it or have read it before. It deals in a humorous but
realistic way with this kind of situation.

A study conducted now on the sources of the "New Testament
Writings" would lead us in and out of the old/newly discovered
texts found at Nag Hemadri, and the "Dead Sea Scrolls" -- and the
history of their translation, and attempts to delay publication,
or to suppress some portions which contradict Church Doctrines
now accepted as Dogmas.

But this is the history of any research into ancient writings.
It is not limited to New Testament sources, HPB in the 2nd vol.
of ISIS gives many "leads" to theose records and if one desires
to find out how much was known by her and her Teachers in 1877,
it is worthwhile reading that book carefully. But one ought to
be prepared for surprises, and for the differences when compared
with the prsent organization and beliefs of the Church.

In short no Society can abridge individual responsibility under
the law of Karma. The great learnig experience of all of us is
one that enfolds the whole of humanity and in fact every aspect
of the World and the Universe too.

If in fact we are "miniatures" of the Great Universe, then every
potential is within our grasp, providing we can use it
intelligently and with no intent to harm any other living being
of any kind. At least that is how I see it, and how I undestand
Theosophy presents the information that it does. [ see also SD I
272-3 for the scope involved].