Mahatma Letter to H. S. Olcott - LMW 1 No. 18: Difference between revisions

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== Publication history ==
== Publication history ==


This letter was published in 1919 as '''Letter 18''' in the first edition of [[Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom (book)|''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888'']], later known as the First Series.<ref>''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888''. Adyar, Madras, India; London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919. Foreword by Annie Besant; transcribed and compiled by C. Jinarajadasa.</ref>
This letter was published in 1919 as '''Letter 18''' in the first edition of [[Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom (book)|''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888'']], later known as the First Series.<ref>''Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888''. Adyar, Madras, India; London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919. Foreword by Annie Besant; transcribed and compiled by C. Jinarajadasa.</ref> It has kept this designation as '''Letter 18''' throughout all editions.


== Commentary about this letter ==
== Commentary about this letter ==

Revision as of 16:27, 7 October 2019

Quick Facts
People involved
Written by: Koot Hoomi
Received by: Henry Steel Olcott
Sent via: unknown
Dates
Written on: unknown
Received on: 4 April 1884
Other dates: unknown
Places
Sent from: unknown
Received at: Railway carriage
Via: unknown

This letter is Letter No. 18 in Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series. Mahatma Koot Hoomi gives advice instructions to Henry Steel Olcott about the situations in London and Adyar.[1]

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Page 1 transcription, image, and notes

Beyond asking you to tell Mr Sinnett that I have received all his letters (that of February 15th included) but have had not even a moment’s time to give him, I have nothing of the nature of a ‘commission’ for you to execute at London. That, of course, is M’s province; and he has, under the orders of the Maha Chohan, left you the widest discretion in the full knowledge that you will vindicate the policy of the Society.

If you will recall our conversation of the second night at Lahore, you will observe that everything has happened at London as foretold. There have always been in that quarter latent potentialities of destructive as well as of a constructive nature, and the best interests of our movement required the bringing of all to the surface. As your charming new friends at Nice who frequent Monte Carlo and the gambling cercles would say, the players have now — cartes sur table. Those who have been so perplexed and puzzled over our policy as regards the London Lodge will understand its necessity better when they become better acquainted with the very occult art of drawing out the hidden capacities and propensities of beginners in occult study

Do not be surprised at anything you may hear from Adyar. Nor discouraged. It is possible — tho’ we try to prevent it within the limits of karma — that you may have great domestic annoyances to pass thro’. You have harboured a traitor and an enemy under your roof for years, and the missionary party are more than ready to avail of any help she may be induced to give. A regular conspiracy is on foot. She is maddened by the appearance of Mr Lane Fox and the powers you have given to the Board of Control. We have been doing some phenomena at Adyar since H.P.B. left India to protect Upasika from the conspirators.

And now act discreetly under your instructions, depending rather upon your notes than your memory.

K.H.

IMAGE TO BE
ADDED

NOTES:

  • policy as regards the London Lodge refers to the Mahatmas' recommendation that Dr. Anna Kingsford's esoteric Christian approach to teaching Theosophy would be better suited to the people of London rather than the esoteric Buddhist approach espoused by Alfred Percy Sinnett.
  • traitor and enemy refers to Emma Coulomb and the Coulomb affair.
  • Board of Control refers to a committee appointed by Colonel Olcott to supervise the Adyar headquarters while he and Madame Blavatsky went to Europe.

Context and background

Mr. Jinarajadasa provided these notes about this letter:

Transcribed from the original at Adyar. At its end, in Colonel Olcott’s handwriting is the following note: ‘Dropped in railway carriage, April 5th, 1884, as I was reading a lot of letters from L.L. The particulars about the Kingsford-Sinnett quarrel. This letter fell just as I was noting a paragraph in B.K.’s letter about the Mahatmas. Present in the railway carriage only Mohini and myself, H.S.O.’ (See also Old Dairy Leaves, Third Series, pp.90, 91.)[2]

Physical description of letter

The original of this letter is preserved at the Theosophical Society, Adyar, Chennai, India.

Publication history

This letter was published in 1919 as Letter 18 in the first edition of Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888, later known as the First Series.[3] It has kept this designation as Letter 18 throughout all editions.

Commentary about this letter

Additional resources

Notes

  1. C. Jinarajadasa, Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, First Series (Adyar, Chennai, India: Theosophical Publishing House, 2011), 46-47, 149.
  2. C. Jinarajadasa, 147-148.
  3. Letters from the Masters of the Wisdom, 1881-1888. Adyar, Madras, India; London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1919. Foreword by Annie Besant; transcribed and compiled by C. Jinarajadasa.