Theos-Talk Archives (November 2002 Message tt00645)

Nov 21 2002

Re: Original publishing of the MAHATMA LETTERS

Dear Friends:

Let me clear up this matter for future accuracy, by narrating a
conversation that took place between me and an individual Mr. t.
Barker consulted before he issued the first edition.

The history of the publication of the Barker edition of the MAHATMA
LETTERS was given to me by one of the participants in that early
discussion (1925-6) back in the 1940s. .

It was published in 1926 by T. FISHER UNWIN LTD. I have a copy of
the first edition. As some errors were found in this, several new
printings that included corrections were made over several years time
[with the errata clearly marked] and as these were issued. they were
called either
"Impressions" or "Editions." The latest copy I have was published by
RIDER AND COMPANY, London. it is the 1948 edition (8th. impression).
Rider and Company began their series of reprints in 1930 after the
original 1926 book had gone out-of-print.

Barker had asked the person in question (in 1923) if they thought it
suitable to publish them. He had prepared the book from the original
letters held in trust by Sinnett's Trustee, [they were then placed for
safe-keeping at the British Museum].

The answer he received was "No."

Barker published them anyway.

Later Barker met the answerer in London and asked if he still
maintained the same opinion. My narrator said he had answered: "No,
you should not have published them. But I am happy that you did." My
informant was Mr. B. P. Wadia. I was living at the time in his home
"Aryasangha" in Bombay.

Barker apparently was not interested in the profits to be derived from
the sale of the book but was more interested in seeing that an
important part of Theosophical history was preserved and made
available to a wider audience.

Dallas TenBroeck.

==========================



-----Original Message-----
From: Bhakti Ananda Goswami [mailto:bhakti.eohn@verizon.net]
Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 11:30 PM
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Theos-World REPEATING LIES? MAHATMA LETTERS CONCOCTET OR
NOT: THE EVIDENCE

FROM BA G

Dear theosophists,

The MAHATMA LETTERS used by the Theosophical Society as below are in
the edition of a. Trevor Barker in question. if you say that his
claim for their authority was to sell a book, haven't you impeached
the credibility of your own witness, primary source work, and the
mahatmas themselves ?


*****************
BART L. WROTE:

A) Barker was trying to sell a book. He was giving his own personal
opinion, NOT speaking for any Theosophical Society.

B) The Mahatmas THEMSELVES write not to accept the writings simply
because it came from them. Therefore, to accept them on the basis of
their authority is to go against their authority.

*****************

THIS LAST STATEMENT IS ABSURD. THERE COMES A POINT WHEN
SOPHISTICATED WORD-JUGGLERY FAILS, AND ONE MUST FACE THE FACTS, AND
STOP TRYING TO WRANGLE SENSE OUT OF NONSENSE.


THE MAHATMA LETTERS OF A.T. BARKER, A PRIMARY THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
SOURCE-WORK...

The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett
Theosophical University Press Edition
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Contents
NOTE: Files of each letter are named according to the letter number
assigned by A. T. Barker in his first and second editions, given in
Arabic numerals, as in ml-#.htm. To go to a particular letter, change
the last section of the current URL from ml-con.htm to the file name
reflecting the number of the letter. For example, to go to Letter 5,
type ml-5.htm; for letter 24b, type ml-24b.htm, etc. For a
description of the contents of each letter, see the detailed contents
below.
Individual letters are linked both numerically, according to Barker's
numbering system, and chronologically according to the order given in
Margaret Conger's Combined Chronology for the Mahatma and Blavatsky
Letters to A. P. Sinnett, with both the next and the previous Mahatma
and Blavatsky letter. The Letters not placed chronologically are: 33,
97, 108, 123, 145, and Views of the Chohan on the TS.
Compiler's Prefaces

Introduction by A. Trevor Barker

Foreword to Combined Chronology of Margaret Conger by Grace F. Knoche

Preface and Introduction to the Combined Chronology by Margaret
Conger

Biographical Sketches and Bibliography by Margaret Conger

How the Mahatma Letters Were Written by A. Trevor Barker

Mars and Mercury by A. Trevor Barker

First Letter of K. H. to A. O. Hume

View of the Chohan on the T. S.

Homepage



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Detailed Contents of The Mahatma Letters
Quick Links to description of Sections
Section 1 -- Occult World Series
Section 2 -- Philosophical and Theoretical Teachings 1881-1883
Section 3 -- Probation and Chelaship
Section 4 -- The Phoenix Venture and the Condition of India
Section 5 -- The London Lodge of The Theosophical Society
Section 6 -- Spiritualism and Phenomena
Section 7 -- Miscellaneous Letters
Appendix