Masonic, Occult and Esoteric Online Library
The Letters of H. P. Blavatsky to A. P. Sinnett - 1925
By A. T. Barker
Letter No. 192
[This letter is apparently written by Anna Kingsford. Passages printed in bold type are comments in K. H.'s handwriting; those in bold type italics have been underlined by K. H. — Ed.]
I HAVE read and re-read your letter and the copy it encloses of Mme. B.'s Epistle, and I fail to find in the latter any solid ground for the alarms you express in the former. The whole matter is simple enough, and nothing could be more innocent than the part you have played in it. As to the "mess all round" of which Mme. B. speaks, if "mess" there be she is the best judge of its extent and character. But you certainly need reproach yourself in nothing, but may rest assured that Masters of the rank of Dyan Chohans (?) are not affected by any such acts as those deplored by Mme. B.; neither is it possible for them to be irritated, vexed, or displeased with K. H. Adepts and Celestials are alike above and beyond all misunderstandings: and K. H.'s Instructors, being of a lofty rank, must perfectly well know both your motives and his. It is impossible therefore for any injustice to be done either to him or to you. And of this you may be certain.
From my point of view the only unfortunate element in the affair is the occasion it is likely to give to the scoffer and the outsider. It will be said — not unnaturally — that Mme. B.'s real source of trouble and anxiety lies in the fact that it is all important to her policy that no one should attempt to UNEARTH (How?) the Brothers, either because they are the "Myth" they have always seemed to the "World," or because they are not the exalted and learned Beings she has declared them. Hence the ungodly, with their habitual distrust of all occult claims, will argue Mme. B.'s perturbation to be due to her fright lest your friend should chance to spy upon an empty shrine; and so wreck for ever the schemes and pretensions of the Indian T.S.
Mme. B. would in my opinion be far better advised, if she would try to prevail on K. H. not to vanish, but to receive your friend. The latter event would indeed demonstrate the existence of at least one Adept.
I need hardly add also that from my point of view I regard all these incidents with the greatest equanimity, being fully persuaded that, if under Celestial guidance no possibility of harm to K. H. or to yourself is for a moment to be contemplated. Imagine for instance what Gotama Buddha would say to the whole affair, and whether or not he or his disciples would have been thrown into a flutter because some stranger respectfully and courteously requested an interview!
And this brings me to an observation which I had it in my mind to make to you before I received your Letter this morning. Perhaps you may have seen the leading article in the Standard of Wednesday the 8th from which I clip the adjoining extract. [Copy of Extract. — "Another sensation will doubtless ere long be provided, and even at this moment there is we believe in London a "Theosophical Society" which is desirous of constructing a religious creed on the basis of the alleged feats of Indian magicians. So true it is that as Dr. Donkin says some of those who have abandoned their former creeds seem striving to content themselves with base and grotesque images in the place of the Gods they no longer truly worship."] It confirms my conviction that Sinnett is adopting a mistaken policy in the line he is taking up in this country. Mere Phenomena — claims for powers of an uncommon order and so forth — are an unworthy basis on which to build, and will infallibly bring contempt on the whole movement so far as the West is concerned. Of course I have written a letter to the Standard a letter signed "The President" of the B.T.S. correcting the misstatement made in the above extract. It ought to be a warning to Sinnett, but I know that it will not be, because he is one of those men with whom phenomena are all important. He finds my position and Mr. Maitland's utterly incomprehensible — to wit: — that supposing it to be proved to-morrow that the Brothers had no existence, and that their writings were all forgeries* we should have lost nothing in any way essential to Theosophy, nor would our Philosophy be in the smallest degree shaken or unimpaired.
* It seems that charity is not always the handmaid of seership nor clairvoyance its most marked feature in the west. K. H.
The work to be done by Theosophy in the west does not necessarily connect itself with any Oriental Mahatmas. The Intellegences concerned in the "new Dispensation" are independent of all "Rishis" and their whole scheme was developed in the West, long before the Tibet Brotherhood was ever mentioned.**
** TRADE JEALOUSY?
In the present disturbed state of the Psychic Atmosphere, I perceive and recognise the sufficient reason for the secrecy imposed on me from the beginning of my initiation (as you know I have in my possession a book, the contents of which are known, at present, to only two persons). K. H.'s comments on the half-knowledge displayed in the Perfect Way show me that he at least does not know of this book.*** Otherwise he would be aware that I have all he suggests — and a GREAT DEAL MORE — but that for the time I am forbidden to give it out.
As for Sinnett he will complete his mission and probably return to India sooner or later. He sees, and can see, but one side of the question, and that believe me is not really the "esoteric" side at all. I can afford to wait — and much more can the Gods who know all things, and to whom our day is as a thousand years. And you, my dear Uncle and friend, have patience, and confidence in them, and be sure that if you do no wrong consciously, They will lay none to your charge. Amen.
**No, of course not: not even the ever murmuring cadence of the Puja made in it to a personal god.
K. H.
