Order of the Brothers of Service
The Order of the Brothers of Service was a predecessor of the Theosophical Order of Service and was considered to be a subsidiary activity of the Theosophical Society based in Adyar, Chennai, India. It was founded on the Full Moon Day of Chaitra, April 7, 1917. Early members included Annie Besant, Fritz Kunz, Eleanor Broenniman, Curuppumullage Jinarājadāsa, Dorothy Jinarājadāsa, Dr. Rocke, and B. P. Wadia, who was acting as Treasurer.
Objects
The Order of the Brotherhood of service is established for work of every kind in the cause of humanity in every part of the world. Its motto is renunciation, obedience, service.Membership
The Order is composed of the Brother Server, Delegate Brother Servers, Brothers, Novices, Probationers, Lay Brothers and Associates. They ma be men or women, celibate or married.[1]
At the end of 1918 it was reported:
There are now 16 Brothers and 4 Novices in the Order of the Brothers of Service, as well as 130 Probationers and Lay Brothers. Thirteen of the Brothers are working for the S. P N. E., 2 for the T. S. and 1 for the Order of the Star in the East. Three of the Novices are working for the S. P. N. E., and one for the T. S. The Order thus makes a very large contribution to the cause of National Education, as the Brothers are supported by the Order and render their services gratuitously to the various institutions. It is not too much to say that the National Colleges and Schools could not have been supplied, had it not been for the Brothers, possessing high educational qualifications, and sacrificing all for Service.[2]