Mahatma Letter to H. S. Olcott - LMW 2 No. 26

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People involved
Written by: Morya
Received by: Henry Steel Olcott
Sent via: unknown 
Dates
Written on: unknown
Received on: 1885
Other dates: unknown
Places
Sent from: unknown
Received at: unknown
Via: unknown

This is Letter No. 26 in Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, Second Series. This note from Mahatma Morya to Henry Steel Olcott vindicates Olcott from charges made by St. George Lane-Fox.[1]

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Page 1 transcription, image, and notes

At Upasika’s prayer, I hereby state the following facts: No letter blaming Henry Olcott, accusing him of incompetency, or entrusting the management of the T.S.’s affairs to Mr. S. G. L. Fox, has ever been sent by me, or received by him, whether in London or elsewhere.

The last page of a long business letter written in Octr. 1884 and addressed by me to Upasika — a woman who served me faithfully — contained a para (2-3rd of a page) concerning Mr. L. Fox; and agreeably with her instructions, she sent it to the latter asking for it back and burning it. The rest of my letter was not shown nor has he been allowed to either see or touch it. Therefore he knows nothing of it. In the aforesaid para he was told of the advisability to return forthwith to India for purposes of influencing in the right direction the disturbed minds of the Anglo-Indian bara-sahabs and thereby helping his own (L. Fox’s) karma. It is for this purpose — no other — that he was asked to go. Any other construction made upon what was written (by Mr. L. Fox or any one else) is false.

It is my desire that any one, who heard Mr. L. Fox blame the “founder” Olcott, those who have listened to the cruel words of censure directed again at Henry Olcott by Mr. L. Fox, should now hear too what I have to say of him.

If Henry has erred, it is because he is human, and being human, often believed in false and foolish advisers more ‘incompetent” than he whom they so blamed.

If he is “ignorant” of many things, so are his accusers, and because he remains still uninitiated the reason for which is very plain: to this day he has preferred the good of the many to his own personal benefit. Having given up the advantages derived from steady, serious chelaship by those who devote themselves to it, for his work for other people — these are those who now turn against him.

Let Mr. S. G. L. Fox know what I now say: whatever Henry Olcott’s shortcomings we are well pleased with, and thank him. Let it be known to all what I think, and now state [under] my own signature. Henry Olcott has served and followed his Master “to the last gasp with truth and loyalty”. As another great but as erratic English genius truly puts it, “Fools are they who believe in every lying report and have not the energy to admit it; fools they who disbelieve in such and have not the courage to proclaim it. Shy and cowardly, vicious and hypocritical those whom calumny can alarm or who will lend a willing ear to it. ‘Looks like truth’—they say; does it? Do they forget that ‘a lie is never more successful than when she baits her hook with truth’?” Fools, fools! who do not see that all Asura-dugpas are at work for the destruction of the Society, their only, their last enemy of Salvation on the present troubled waters of Kali-yug! Blind are they who see and perceive not. Their karma is spun; but what Masters can or shall help those who refuse to help themselves.

M

IMAGE NOT
AVAILABLE

NOTES:

  • bara-sahabs means British officers; Hindustani for “big folk.”

Context and background

Mr. Jinarājadāsa provided this context:

I have not been able to see the original of this letter, which is now in North India. A friend has procured for me a copy. In several places I feel sure the transcription is inaccurate.

"Mr. S.G.L. Fox" - In the transcription, the name appears as Mr. S.Y.L. Luf, which I take to be a misreading for Mr. S.G.L. Fox – Mr. St. George Lane-Fox, who was in India when the Coulomb attack was started, and who returned to India in 1885. He was a member of the Board of Control of the T.S. when both the Founders left for Europe in 1884. He testified to the genuineness of the phenomena which he witnessed, and is still loyal to the memory of H.P.B.

"bara-sahabs" - Hindustani for “big folk.”

"at work for the destruction of the Society" - The attack of the Christian Missionaries using the Coulombs, with the subsequent denunciation of H.P.B. as a fraud by the Society for Psychical Research.[2]

Physical description of letter

The location of the original letter unknown.

Publication history

Commentary about this letter

Additional resources

Notes

  1. C. Jinarājadāsa, Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, Second Series (Adyar, Madras,India: Theosophical Publishing House, 1925), 62-65.
  2. C. Jinarājadāsa, 62, 65.