Theos-Talk Archives (July 2000 Message tt00012)

Anita Atkins, otherwise known as Sylvia Cranston, author of the 
recent HPB biography, recently passed on. Following is a tribute 
by Caren M. Elin, which will appear in the August THEOSOPHY WORLD. 
It's also being posted to this list because it contains an 
announcement. There's to be a celebration of Atkin's life and work 
to be held August 19 in Santa Barbara. 

-- Eldon Tucker

----

Tribute to Anita Atkins -- Sylvia Cranston

By Caren M. Elin

In Honor of the Life and Work of Anita Atkins: 
A Selfless Servant of The Theosophical Movement

December 12, 1915 -- June 20, 2000

To the world, she was known as Sylvia Cranston and to her
theosophical friends and community worldwide she was our most
humble Anita Atkins. Born on December 12, 1915, Anita spent her
early years living off the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, New
York. Her parents both attended meetings at The United Lodge of
Theosophists in New York City, ever since Anita was a young
teenager. Anita's introduction into the philosophy of Theosophy
came from her father's reports of the meetings he attended. 
Anita always stated that her "soul soared" each and every time
her father returned home from a theosophical meeting. Anita
would ask her father to tell her of every idea that had been
presented during the lectures. Due to Anita's extreme shyness,
it took her many months before she could bring herself to attend
her first public theosophical meeting, in which she was
accompanied by her parents. Once this first meeting was
accomplished, there was no way to turn Anita away. From that day
on as a young teenager still in high school, Anita attended every
possible meeting.

During Anita Atkins' lifetime, she wrote and published five
wonderful books, introducing hundreds of thousands of individuals
worldwide to the ideas of Theosophy through reincarnation. These
works are: REINCARNATION AN EAST -- WEST ANTHOLOGY, REINCARNATION
IN WORLD THOUGHT, REINCARNATION: THE PHOENIX FIRE MYSTERY... 
REINCARNATION A NEW HORIZON IN SCIENCE, RELIGION & SOCIETY, AND
H.P.B., THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE & INFLUENCE OF HELENA BLAVATSKY,
FOUNDER OF THE MODERN THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT. The first three
volumes have become known as the Head & Cranston Anthologies,
while the last two were with the efforts of Carey Williams. It
has been an established policy that all the royalties earned by
these volumes shall only be used to purchase the books back and
donate them to libraries worldwide. The policy still being
honored is: not one penny shall ever be used for personal use,
but can only be used to promote the ideas of Theosophy through
these volumes in order to aid suffering humanity. Anita's
brother "Bob" (A. Edgar) Atkins has always been Anita's
financial and moral support and a steadfast researcher throughout
the HPB biography.

Anita Atkins spent her whole working life at The United Lodge of
Theosophists -- New York City, the 5cents and 10cents Store, and
Eastern News Distributors. Never married she chose to direct her
efforts towards humanity through her lectures for various
theosophical groups and organizations, teaching Theosophy School
at ULT, as well as participating in innumerable radio interviews,
and some major Television interviews. To many researchers and
academics in the world, Sylvia Cranston has become a respected
authority in the field of Reincarnation. Today her books are
still in print and are available in multiple languages throughout
the world, remaining ever steadfast as a beckon light for
individuals searching for soul-knowledge on their chosen path of
life.

Throughout Anita's lifetime she read every word ever written by
HPB multiple times. One keynote struck out as a call for Anita
to serve Theosophy. This was HPB's address to the fourth
American Convention in 1890. HPB stated:

> What I said last year remains true today, that is, that the
> Ethics of Theosophy are more important than any divulgement of
> psychic laws and facts. The latter relate wholly to the material
> and evanescent part of the septenary man, but the Ethics sink
> into and take hold of the real man -- the reincarnating Ego. We
> are outwardly creatures of but a day; within we are eternal. 
> Learn, then, well the doctrines of Karma and Reincarnation, and
> teach, practice, promulgate that system of life and thought,
> which alone can save the coming races. Do not work merely for
> the Theosophical Society [or ULT], but THROUGH it for Humanity.

Anita's heart was pierced by this proclamation, so at the age of
16, she began compiling what great thinkers, writers, artists,
and composers had to say on the subject of death and
reincarnation throughout history. This idea came to Anita to
compile an appendix to a friend's book she volunteered to type on
the subject of reincarnation to be published by the Theosophy
Company. This appendix grew into a volume of its own and Mrs. 
Grace Clough of the ULT -- Los Angeles advised Anita upon her
visit there to select a pen name and have her appendix published
as a separate book by a major New York publishing house. Grace
Clough then selected Sylvia Cranston as the nom de plume of Anita
Atkins. All these events did occur, the first four Cranston
anthologies on reincarnation, were published by Crown Publishers,
and the fifth volume, the HBP biography, was originally published
by G.P. Putnam's Sons, both of New York. Today these books are
still available and in print within various theosophical and
non-theosophical publishing houses. "Bob" (A. Edgar) Atkins has
been an invaluable asset in helping in this effort through both
his moral and financial support.

Anita Atkins is survived by her faithful brother, friend, and
companion "Bob" Atkins. He has stood by Anita's life and work
for his entire lifetime, and at the age of 79 formed Path
Publishing House along with Caren M. Elin to keep the HPB
biography alive and in print. In the future, this biography
shall appear online.

The lifetime work of Anita Atkins shall continue to be carried on
through the efforts of her faithful friend, companion, and
co-author Carey Williams. The new and uncompleted sixth volume
started by Cranston and Williams shall be completed in the
future.

Anita Atkins selected to depart this lifetime on the Summer
Solstice, June 20, 2000, while residing in Santa Barbara,
California. The last 6+ years of her life were spent advising
Carey Williams of her desires for publishing and the contents of
her lectures and articles while enjoying the magnificent
coastline and panoramic views of the Santa Barbara area. It was
Anita's undying wish that the ideas of Theosophy be used to
benefit Humanity through gentle acts of service, beginning with
those who cross our path daily -- family, friends, and coworkers. 
An additional wish was for all of the Theosophical groups and
independent individuals to work symbiotically for the
Theosophical Movement and through it to benefit Humanity.

Anita Atkins never wished any acknowledgements for her lifetime
of selfless work, and now that she has departed the scene, I
believe many join me in saying thank you Anita for a lifetime of
selfless devotion to the Theosophical Movement and to Humanity.

A Celebration of Anita Atkins' (Sylvia Cranston's) Life and Work
will be held on Saturday, August 19, 2000 at 8:00 P.M. in
Crosbie Hall of The United Lodge of Theosophists, 326 West Sola
St., Santa Barbara, CA 93101. All are welcome. For additional
information, please call Caren M. Elin 805-344-1414. 


-- THEOSOPHY WORLD -- Theosophical Talk -- theos-talk@theosophy.com

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