Theos-Talk Archives (May 2003 Message tt00081)

MKR

The very title " Is this Theosophy?" was critical of the Adyar leadership,
and some doubts were also expressed about the clairvoyance of Leadbeater,
with whom Wood had worked, though Wood did not think CWL was a paedophile.

After the death of Annie Besant, Wood ( age 50 and serving as recording
secretary ) was a candidate for the presidency of the TS, and there was
circulated a five-page election manifesto " If I were president" which
contained some penetrating remarks in favour of freedom, and against any
undue influence in the T.S. on the part of the Co-Masons, the Liberal
Catholic Church and the E.S. 

In response to this there came " A Statement" by the "official" candidate,
LCC Bishop George Arundale, who also professed to be against undue
influence, and undertook, if elected, to cease to wear clerical dress and
ask not to be addressed by his clerical title. Aided by the circulation of
some letters written in 1926 which showed that Dr Besant and a Master
favoured the election of Arundale, he was duly elected. 

Later, apart from a best-selling paperback for Penguin Books on Yoga, Wood
also wrote a Secret Doctrine Digest, which in the days before Geoffrey
Barborka's books, and since, must have helped many to study Theosophy. He
was briefly associated with the young Alan Watts in promoting oriental
spirituality in the States.

But one may easily see why Wood would not always fit in the prevailing T.S.
ethos. He had been there so long ( at Adyar since 1908) , seen so much,
could quote what leaders had said and done in days gone by, and clearly
spoke his mind.


Leslie Price 






-----Original Message-----
From: MKR [mailto:ramadoss@gbronline.com]
Sent: 07 May 2003 15:30
To: theos-talk@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Theos-World In Celebration of White Lotus Day: Books by and
about H.P. Blavatsky


Dennis:
Thanks for the msg. Until Kessinger recently published Ernest Woods' book 
"Is this theosophy?", it is one of the rarest books and not easily 
available. To me, reading it was very fascinating and informative. From 
what I hear, it was out of favor with organizational followers and that was 
why one did not find it in many theosophical libraries.

mkr



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