Dear Member,
By Enquiries
A Window into our History
In our first letter, we said that you had joined the Theosophical Society, and by that we intended to imply that you have joined not just a local lodge or group or even just the Australian Section. Rather you have joined a worldwide organisation, a Society which has branches or lodges, groups and members in more than 50 countries throughout the world. Of course, your membership is recorded here at the Australian Section Headquarters, and if you are a member of one of our lodges, it is also recorded in that lodge. But as a member of a world Society, it is important that you know at least a little about that Society.
So, before we turn to a consideration of some of the concepts of Theosophy in these letters, we should like to talk a bit about the Society itself. The rich and varied history of the theosophical movement makes a fascinating study and every member should be conversant with at least the outstanding events that have marked the Society's development since its inception in 1875. The names and activities of its notable leaders, both those who have held official positions and those who have served in other capacities, should be known to all.
A delightful and quite absorbing first-hand account of the early days of the Society will be found in the six volumes of Old Diary Leaves, written by Col. H.S. Olcott, the President-Founder of the Society. No one can read Col. Olcott's account without being impressed by his and H.P. Blavatsky's extraordinary courage and devotion in their selfless and tireless efforts in establishing the Society and bringing Theosophy to the attention of the modern world.
To appreciate the lives of Col. Olcott and H.P.B. (as Madame Blavatsky has always been known and she herself seemed to prefer the use of her initials), the biographies by Howard Murphet, A Yankee Beacon of Buddhist Light and When Daylight Comes, give the basic facts and are extremely readable. A number of people consider the definitive biography of H.P.B.to be the work by Sylvia Cranston, The Extraordinary Life and Influence of Helena Blavatsky. Associated with Olcott and H.P.B. in the founding of the Society was William Quan Judge, and a brief biography about him has been written by Sven Eek and Boris de Zirkoff.
A general overview of the Society's first half-century is given in Josephine Ransom's A Short History of The Theosophical Society. A brief history of the Australian Section was published on the occasion of the Section's centenary in 1995. Other books dealing with various aspects of the Society's history are available for those who enjoy delving into our past.
A part of theosophical history that cannot be overlooked is often referred to as the impetus given by certain Adept Brothers, Masters or Mahatmas, toward the establishment of the Society and the delineation of its purposes. Complete freedom of thought exists within the Society, and it is for all members to decide for themselves the validity of the claims made by many for the existence of a Brotherhood of Adepts. Two adepts are said to have particularly concerned themselves with the founding of the Society, and no member can afford to omit a study of the material available on the subject. The two volumes edited by C. Jinarajadasa, Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, and the larger compilation entitled The Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett, should be familiar works to all members, although the deeper philosophical concepts these books contain will be of interest and value only as each student progresses in their understanding of Theosophy. Therefore, much of this material should be reserved for later study after a basic foundation in the principles of the timeless wisdom has been gained. The books are mentioned now only in connection with that part of theosophical history pertaining to the existence of Adepts or Mahatmas who may be said to guide and nurture such movements as this Society.
Basically, the Society is democratic in structure, with each National Society or Section enjoying autonomy within the Rules of the International Society. The Rules of the Australian Section are available to every member. Let me emphasise again, as mentioned in the previous paragraph, that freedom of thought is guaranteed to every member and no one has a right to impose their beliefs on another.
Once more, let me encourage you to ask questions. Not only is this a means of increasing your knowledge and understanding of Theosophy, but it is an important part of the whole process of self-discovery. For example, you may now have questions about how the Society functions and, more particularly, how the Australian Section operates. Some members like to know about the rights and responsibilities of membership, while others are interested only in the study of the theosophical philosophy. As these letters go to all new members, we can make only general statements, so if you want to know more about any subject, please do let us hear from you with your questions, and we will do our best to assist you.
