Theos-Talk Archives (February 2012 Message tt00091)

Theosophy and TS - HPB's concise statement
Over the years, many Sections and individuals - leaders, scholars,
professors, mystics, theosophists, students, etc etc tried to tinker with
the three objects of TS. Frequently, readers of various books published by
theosophical writers were overwhelmed and simply got lost as what theosophy
is and the role of TS. Today, I ran into a very concise statement from
horse's mouth - HPB, one of the Founders of TS. It is worth reading and you
can come to your own conclusion.
In a letter addressed to the Second Annual Convention of the American
Section, HPB addressed two very fundamental issues - Theosophy and TS. This
is one of the best concise elucidation by the Founder. Worth pondering
over.

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But let no man set up a popery instead of Theosophy, as this would be
suicidal and has ever ended most fatally. We are all fellow students, more
or less advanced; but no one belonging to the Theosophical Society ought to
count himself as more than, at best, a pupil-teacher â one who has no right
to dogmatize.

Since the Society was founded, a distinct change has come over the spirit
of the age. Those who gave us commission to found the Society foresaw this,
now rapidly growing, wave of transcendental influence following that other
wave of mere phenomenalism. Even the journals of Spiritualism are gradually
eliminating the phenomena and wonders, to replace them with philosophy. The
Theosophical Society led the van of this movement; but, although
Theosophical ideas have entered into every development or form which
awakening spirituality has assumed, yet Theosophy pure and simple has still
a severe battle to fight for recognition. The days of old are gone to
return no more, and many are the Theosophists who, taught by bitter
experience, have pledged themselves to make of the Society a "miracle club"
(1) no longer. The fainthearted have asked in all ages for signs and
wonders, and when these failed to be granted, they refused to believe. Such
are not those who will ever comprehend Theosophy pure and simple. But there
are others among us who realize intuitionally that the recognition of pure
Theosophy â the philosophy of the rational explanation of things and not
the tenets â is of the most vital importance in the Society, inasmuch as it
alone can furnish the beacon-light needed to guide humanity on its true
path.

This should never be forgotten, nor should the following fact be
overlooked. On the day when Theosophy will have accomplished its most holy
and most important mission â namely, to unite firmly a body of men of all
nations in brotherly love and bent on a pure altruistic work, not on a
labor with selfish motives â on that day only will Theosophy become higher
than any nominal brotherhood of man. This will be a wonder and a miracle
truly, for the realization of which Humanity is vainly waiting for the last
18 centuries, and which every association has hitherto failed to accomplish.

Orthodoxy in Theosophy is a thing neither possible nor desirable. It is
diversity of opinion, within certain limits, that keeps the Theosophical
Society a living and a healthy body, its many other ugly features
notwithstanding. Were it not, also, for the existence of a large amount of
uncertainty in the minds of students of Theosophy, such healthy
divergencies would be impossible, and the Society would degenerate into a
sect, in which a narrow and stereotyped creed would take the place of the
living and breathing spirit of Truth and an ever growing Knowledge.

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