Theos-Talk Archives (October 2006 Message tt00511)

Carlos appears to have a problem with the idea of archival material being
stored in an attic – and for more than five years! Contributions to buying
a mansion with sufficient space to keep all my Theosophical material in a
readily accessible manner will be gratefully received! At present, I only
keep material relevant to current research in an accessible location – and
I have no particular research interest in Crosbie, the ULT, etc.
The comment of mine quoted by Daniel is genuine. When I was undertaking
research on Leadbeater in California I met with a number of people who had
been at Point Loma when Crosbie departed. For some reason, the “real
reasons” for his departure seem to have been regarded as a deep secret,
but I was eventually told his departure related to his claims of contact
with HPB and the Masters. Obviously I have no way of knowing whether this
was true, but it would explain an otherwise unexplained action. Certainly
the DES material I have, or have seen, implies an authority for the DES
which is not based on any historical succession. No doubt all could be
explained if the ULT’s archives were accessible.
My limited contact with the ULT has been entirely pleasant. My criticism
of ULT relates to the manifestly bogus claim that it is somehow an
organization without authorities or leaders, and its strange habit of not
identifying the authors (other than HPB, WQJ, et al) of its publications.
For example, neither the ULT as such nor all its Assoiates wrote “The
Thosophical Movement”! The book had an author or authors – so why aren’t
they identified? This, by the way, is a technique also adopted by the
Jehovah’s Witnesses. There are obviously leaders and authorities in the
ULT – it’s just that (unlike Adyar or Pasadena) their identities are not
disclosed. When I sought to do research at the ULT library in London,
“permission” had to be obtained. From whom? If I want to access the ULT
archives (which presumably exist somewhere and under the control of
someone), to whom do I apply? If I write to the ULT someone will reply,
although the letter may be “signed” with “The United Lodge of
Theosophists”. Someone decides who may and may not speak at ULT meetings.
Someone legally owns ULT assets and edits its journals. How and by whom
are those actually in charge appointed?
As I previously wrote to Daniel, unknown and unknowable sources of
authority exercise greater power because they are effectively
unchallengeable.

Dr Gregory Tillett