Theos-Talk Archives (February 1998 Message tt00107)

Dallas:

While I had some bits and pieces of Wadia's background and his departure, I
did not get the full story -- not surprising since such information in pre
Internet days is easily suppressed as the powers be that control the
official publication do decide what and when and how any information is
published. I am very glad to see your msg. Is there any publication which
gives full details?

mkr


At 03:51 PM 2/13/1998 -0800, you wrote:
>Dear  John:
>
>Thanks for the additional comments.  In regard to the decline in membership
>due to "despotic proposals," I found that back in 1919 - 1921 in the
>American Section T S a similar attempt was made and resisted.  Mr. B.P.Wadia
>of the T S Council, India was here.  He was deeply concerned with the effort
>to abridge the democratic nature of the administration of the T S.  He
>actively spearheaded resistance to that proposal.
>
>He had become a member of the American Section TS and so had the right to
>respond on behalf of free speech.  The President of the American Section
>complained to A. Besant in Adyar of this "interference."  Her response was
>that Mr. Wadia probably had good reason for his actions and had her
>confidence.
>
>As to why Mr. Wadia was in America.  He had been asked by a Committee of the
>British Parliament to come to London and give testimony at hearings
>concerning the Labor conditions in India (he was President of the Madras
>Labor Union - the first labor union organized in India).  At the time of
>this work he had been a member of the T S in India since his teems and had
>worked closely with Col. Olcott the President Founder and Mrs.. Besant who
>succeeded him and had done work for Theosophy under both of them of a very
>responsible nature.  He was basically a student of HPB's SECRET DOCTRINE,
>and based his talks and actions on what she taught there.  He was, working
>with Mrs. Annie Besant in various capacities, and was the Manager of the TPH
>in Adyar and sub-editor of Young India, also a member of the T S Council.
>
>In any case when he came to Los Angeles and stayed at Krotona ( then in
>Hollywood ) he discovered the United Lodge of Theosophists by seeing an ad.
>placed for one of their lectures in the L.A.Times.  He attended and found
>that those at the "ULT" were studying straight HPB Theosophy out of the
>"Secret Doctrine."  And, also, he came in contact with the writings of
>W.Q.Judge.  He soon realized that the membership of the T S had been kept
>away from familiarity with Judge's writings owing to the rift of 1895 -- a
>whole chapter in
>T S history.  But -- that is another story -- as Kipling would say.
>
>To cut a long story short he returned to India and spoke a number of times
>with A B, and tried to persuade her to make public that which she said in
>private to him (and others) namely, that W.Q.Judge had been misjudged and
>wronged.  He was not able to get her to change her public posture in regard
>to that matter, so after a couple of years he resigned and became a simple
>associate of the ULT -- and that is, thereafter, becomes the subject of
>several more chapters in T S history.  I spent most of my youth in the same
>house where he lived and am quite familiar with the early history of the
>Movement and the TS and ULT.
>
>When I wrote of a "natural cyclic action" what I meant was a phenomenon that
>is noticeable world-wide.  If and when brotherhood is not practiced how can
>support "behind the scenes" be continued ?  I was thinking of this wider
>cycle rather than that which is visible here.
>
>The hope for the future is that HPB's writings are published and many "out
>there" are independently studying and acquiring ideas from them.  To realize
>the actual power of Theosophical wisdom and knowledge one need only watch
>the impact of theosophical ideas on our world in matters of benevolence and
>care for the infirm, the aged, and those who are far weaker than we are.
>Concern for GAEA, the living earth,. and its more helpless portions is heart
>warming.  The practice of knowledge is what Theosophy has universally
>encouraged.
>
>At least, these are my own ideas and thanks for noticing.            Dallas
>