Theos-Talk Archives (June 2009 Message tt00100)

Dear friends

My views are:

Gregory Tillett wrote the following.
Since I am planning an translation of it and other issue related to the events surrounding Olcott's death I would like to know if Leadbeater ever wrote "a public statement" as begged of him by Olcott???


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Charles Webster Leadbeater 1854-1934   
A Biographical Study
by Gregory John Tillett, Chapter 11, p. 376:

"Olcott's health was failing and his condition was aggravated by worry about the state of the Society and its division over the Leadbeater affair.  On the night of January 5th, whilst he was at Adyar, the two Masters Morya (M) and KH visited him "plainly visible, audible, tangible", in the presence of Mrs Besant and Olcott's private secretary, Mrs Marie Russak. [5]  According to the reports of the meeting, the Masters declared Mrs Besant was to be Olcott's successor as President, and ordered her to go to Benares to complete some urgent business.  They reappeared on January 11th to rebuke Olcott for his behaviour in the Leadbeater case, especially for allowing the matter to have been made public.  They instructed him to write a letter to Leadbeater, which they returned on the 13th to read.  He was also instructed to write an article for The Theosophist, some of which was dictated by the Master M.
          Olcott hastily despatched the letter to Leadbeater:

          "My dear Charles,

          "The Mahatmas have visited me several times lately in their physical bodies and in the presence of witnesses. [6]  As my life seems to be drawing to a close, they have wished to discuss with me matters which they desired arranged before it was too


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late.  They asked me to set right the dispute between you and Annie concerning the glamour question and I enclose what they said about it, which Mrs Russak took down at the time.  I am glad to know it was no glamour, for I have always felt that she [Annie] made a mistake in saying that it was.  Concerning the other matter about the disturbance your teachings have caused, both Mahatma M. and Mahatma K.H. assured me that you did well to resign, that it was right to call a council to advise upon the matter, and that I did right in accepting your resignation, but they said we were wrong in allowing the matter to be made so public, for your sake and for the sake of the Society.  They said you should have stated in your resignation that you resigned because you offended the standard of ideas of the majority of the Society by giving out certain teachings which were considered objectionable. [7]  Because I have always cherished for you a sincere affection, I wish to beg your pardon, and to tell you before I die that I am sorry any fault of judgment on my part should have caused you such deep sorrow and mortification, for I should have certainly tried to keep the matter quiet, had I not thought that it would have reflected on the Society if I did


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so.  I feel sure that the Blessed Ones are striving to calm the present turmoil and hold together our Society from dividing itself and I also feel sure that you will be called upon to help, and to forget the self for the good of the whole.   There is nothing I think that would tend to quell the present turmoil so much (and I should die happy if I knew you had done it) as for you to bow to the will of the Divine Ones behind the movement and save the situation.   Certainly Their wisdom is your law as it is ours, and They have told both Annie and myself that your teaching young boys to masturbate is wrong.  I do implore you from my death-bed to bow to Their judgment in the matter and make a public statement that you will give Them and us your solemn promise to cease giving out such teachings. [8]   It might be that if you did this the Masters would open out the path of reconciliation to the Society, and you could take up the great work you were obliged to give up, because you unwisely placed yourself in the position of being unable to defend yourself against charges that gravely offended the accepted moral standards of your country, thus bringing upon the Society you loved a great blow which shook it to its foundations, because you were so


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universally loved and respected.  Once more, my dear friend, I beg you to consider what I ask.  With all good wishes,

                                 Yours sincerely,

                                                 H.S. Olcott, [9]"
http://leadbeater.org/tillettcwlchap11.htm (Chapter 11, p. 376)
http://leadbeater.org/tillettcwlnotes.htm (Footnotes)



M. Sufilight


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