Theos-Talk Archives (May 2003 Message tt00195)

Not that it would be the first time, but, in case I failed 
to make my point in my last post: If we didn't have 
Besant, Sinnet, Leadbeater, etc, and other controversial 
people who might be seen by some as providing a 
significant contrasting perspective on life-values and 
Theosophy (as per, for example, A.L. Cleather's "The 
Great Betrayal"), how else would some people have the 
opportunity to learn about certain significant 
differences between HPB's approach to Theosophy as 
compared to the approaches of various later 
representatives? That is, as I tend to see it, at least such 
contrasting views are there, for better or worse, and 
might have the effect of eventually helping to light up 
some dark corners re various Occult issues.

Seems to me that the Mahatmas would likely have 
headed toward their "trial" (in keeping with their efforts 
to promote the Theosophical Movement in various 
ways) with their eyes open, possibly knowing fully 
enough about the karmic climate and how it would, 
sooner or later, at least tend to promote helpful 
constrasting views re certain Occult topics that, 
throughout history, seem to have been somewhat 
beyond the understanding of even people who have 
had an interest in occult, spiritual and religious 
things. 

As for what I'm referring to particularly by "contrasting 
views"... seeing as there would appear to be, to my way 
of thinking, at any rate, certain kinds of "contrasts" that 
would seem to relate to an Occult essence, and so I tend 
to suspect that, as a result, some of the "more 
significant" aspects of such an essence don't seem to 
particularly lend themselves to exoterics, but might be 
accessible "rather individually" (in some cases, maybe, 
apparently?).

* [from] The Mahatma Letters to A. P. Sinnett, p. 263:

<<" I will tell you something you should know, and 
may derive profit from. .... One or two of us hoped that 
the world had so far advanced intellectually, if not 
intuitionally, that the Occult doctrine might gain an 
intellectual acceptance, and the impulse given for a 
new cycle of occult research. Others--wiser as it would 
now seem--held differently, but consent was given for 
the trial. It was stipulated, however, that the experiment 
should be made independently of our personal 
management; that there should be no abnormal 
interference by ourselves. So casting about we found in 
America the man to stand as leader--a man of great 
moral courage, unselfish, and having other good 
qualities. He was far from being the best, but ... he was 
the best one available. With him we associated a 
woman of most exceptional and wonderful 
endowments. Combined with them she had strong 
personal defects, but just as she was, there was no 
second to her living fit for this work. We sent her to 
America, brought them together--and the trial began. 
>From the first both she and he were given to clearly 
understand that the issue lay entirely with themselves. 
And both offered themselves for the trial for certain 
remuneration in the far distant future as--as K.H. would 
say--soldiers volunteer for a Forlorn Hope. For the 6-1/2 
years they have been struggling against such odds as 
would have driven off any one who was not working 
with the desperation of one who stakes life and all he 
prizes on some desperate supreme effort. Their success 
has not equalled the hopes of their original backers, 
phenomenal as it has been in certain directions." *>>
======end of quote

Speculatively,
Mauri