Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tt00410)

April 20th 1998

Dear F d F:

Your posting on the history (brief) of the T S given in your MSG
of
the 17th April is slightly inaccurate

In 1875 The THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY was established.

I have no idea when the "INTERNATIONAL THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY" came
into existence. Perhaps someone has a date and a reason for
this. Anybody ?

It is not any of the theosophical bodies that is of significance.
It is the teachings of THEOSOPHY that are valuable.

Without HPB, her writing, her link to the Mahatmas, there could
be no "Theosophical Society" today.

I repeat that in my esteem the PHILOSOPHY of THEOSOPHY is all
important. The names and organizations that support the
diffusion and the practice of theosophical ideals are of no
significance. Each individual, each member makes or breaks the
real strength of the Theosophical Movement by his own decisions.
It is for this reason that I try to emphasize knowing what
Theosophy is, then, acquiring a knowledge of the "Fundamentals."
[ See SD I pp. 14-18. ]

When that is achieved everything becomes harmonious. Arguments
cease and constructive growth and mutual assistance rise.
Theosophy can be then seen in practice.

So that the members of the Theosophical Society might have
something to base themselves on, to discuss, investigate, study
and learn,

 ISIS UNVEILED was written and published in 1877.

 The work of providing a forum for discussion (much as
Internet does today) was devised when the THEOSOPHIST began
publication in October 1879 in Bombay. Lodges were established
in various places where there was evidence of several persons
being interested in assisting each other and for mutual study and
assistance, following the original THREE OBJECTS of the T.S.
 Brotherhood, Study of Ancient Literature, and Investigation of
the Unknown Laws of Invisible Nature. ]

This magazine [ the THEOSOPHIST, first published in Bombay, and
then moved editorially to Adyar when that place was secured as a
"headquarters" ] was then followed by another, designed to assist
Theosophists in America (where the original Theosophical Society
was still functioning, and continues functioning to this day).

The original T S was still in New York, and under the guidance
of its General Secretary: Mr. William Q. Judge (one of the
original founders) was growing by leaps and bounds. This second
magazine was THE PATH, which began publication in April 1886.

In December 1894 the Society for Psychical Research in London
issued a preliminary report on the phenomena of the Theosophical
Society based on what their envoy Mr. Hodgson wrote. (This
report has since been repudiated and withdrawn by the SPR for a
number of solid reasons.) At the time of its being issued it
created a furore. HPB and Col. Olcott were in Europe at the
time. As the life and character of Mme. Blavatsky was called to
question, Mr. A.P.Sinnett wrote a book on her life, called SOME
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF Mme. H. P. Blavatsky."

Early in 1885 both HPB and Col. Olcott returned to India. HPB
became severely ill, and her doctors recommended that she return
to live in the cooler climate of Europe. HPB resisted this.

In 1885 HPB was "banished" from the T S in India by the T. S.
Council, and Col. Olcott, who were fearful of a law suit which
the Missionaries had instituted and which was fueled by the false
evidence manufactured by the Coulombs.

HPB came back to Europe and resumed her work of writing the
SECRET DOCTRINE. She became ill, and her friends prevailed upon
her to go to London where they could look after her. She did
this, and in 1887 she began publishing LUCIFER magazine ( a new
volume every 6 months -- 2 volumes a year ). Many valuable
articles were written by her in it. They serve to link ISIS
UNVEILED to THE SECRET DOCTRINE.

In 1888 October, the SECRET DOCTRINE was published.

In the 11 years between 1877 and 1888 HPB wrote many important
articles clarifying certain questions which students had raised,
some of which were partially answered between 1880-1885 by
letters written privately to Mr. A. P. Sinnett from the Mahatmas.

It was not until after Mr. Sinnett's death that his executors
allowed Mr. Trevor Barker to edit what is now titled: THE
MAHATMA LETTERS.
In several placed the Mahatmas state that they did not want those
letters published.

In the meanwhile, Mr. Sinnett had used selected material which he
received from Them to write ESOTERIC BUDDHISM, and later THE
OCCULT WORLD.

THE SECRET DOCTRINE expands and also corrects some of the errors
that he made in writing those books. He was not happy that HPB
had to do this, and he resented this, as he plainly said, and
wrote.

Mme. Blavatsky died in 1891 (May 8th). In India Col. Olcott, the
President for Life of the T S continued his work. In Europe and
England Mrs. Annie Besant continued the work of editing LUCIFER.

In America Mr. Judge continued encouraging the work of spreading
Theosophy through that section, which had grown to be the largest
and most active of all the T S sections in the world. This is a
matter of history and the Annual Reports that Mr. Judge issued
for the American Section record this clearly.

In 1894 Mr. Judge's character was called into question by Mrs.
Besant , Col. Olcott and others on the basis of certain messages
said to be from the Mahatmas that had appeared in letters that he
wrote to several persons. The resulting "trial" held in London
in July 1894 exonerated him completely. However the effort to
oust him from the Vice-Presidency of the Society was resumed at
the end of the year.

In 1895 the American Section by a great majority of votes
declared its self independent, but resolutely in active fraternal
accord with all the Sections of the T. S., and with Col Olcott,
who was recognized as President for Life. Several years earlier,
Col. Olcott had stated in letters that he was in agreement with
establishing such an independence for administrative purposes.
However, he reversed his stance and in July 1895 the whole
American Section was declared by him to have seceded and he acted
to expel it and all the members who had agreed to
independence from his direct control. The theosophical magazines of that
time: Lucifer, the Irish Theosophist, the English Theosophist,
the Vahan, Theosophist, Prasnotra and Isis record the discussions
and disagreements in full. The magazine THE PATH kept out of
those conflicts with the exception of a few statements of fact.

This is thumbnail sketch of the events of early Theosophical
history.

If you wish to consult a documentary history of the Theosophical
Movement, there is in print

 THE THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT, 1875-1925

It is available from Theosophy Company, Los Angeles at the above
address.

If you wish some more details, do ask.

 Sincerely and fraternally yours, Dallas.

>From: "Fernando de Freitas" <ff@stb.org.br>
>Date: Friday, April 17, 1998 9:38 AM
>Subject: Re:Science Conference

> The International Theosophical Society, established in 1875
in NY, by
>H.P.Blavatsky and H.S.Olcoot. The property in Adyar, Madras,
India become
>the International Headquarter since 1882.
> Today, TS is established in 60 coutries, with 32,000
members in all the
>world.
> A "National Section" only make sense if the organization is
>"International", and yours statements are the same in any
country.
> Fraternally,
> FdF SNIP