Janet Kerschner/Sandbox

UNDER CONSTRUCTION - Mahatma Letter of Sinnett to/from KH - 1883-06-09
UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Quick Facts
People involved
Written by:	Koot Hoomi, A. P. Sinnett
Received by:	A. P. Sinnett, Koot Hoomi
Sent via:	unknown
Dates
Written on:	9 June 1883
Received on:	unknown
Other dates:	unknown
Places
Sent from:	unknown
Received at:	unknown
Via:	unknown

This letter has not been published previously. A. P. Sinnett wrote to Mahatma Koot Hoomi, who added notes and gave the original to H. P. Blavatsky, with instructions to keep the letter.

Note to H. P. Blavatsky from K.H.

Note written in blue ink across the top of page 1:

Keep

KH

NOTES:

Note on A. P. Sinnett letter from K.H.

Note written in blue ink diagonally across the top of page 5:

All wrong

NOTES:

Page 1 of Sinnett letter transcription, image, and notes

My dear Guardian,

As the London Society, or the London Lodge of the T.S. as we had decided to call it, – progresses with its esoteric studies I propose to send you notes concerning the various questions raised which I find myself unable to deal with confidently. The more vigorous and prosperous the undertaking becomes, the more I suppose such questions will multiply, but for the present they are comparatively few as the Society generally has not climbed up even to my own nimble level of occult knowledge.

Firstly however in regard to general progress Mrs Kingsford’s state of mind appears fairly satisfactorily. She has now read my book in proof, and fully recognizes the substantial identity of our teaching and that

NOTES:

• my book refers to Sinnett's second book, Esoteric Buddhism, which was published in 1883.

Page 2

which she has herself received. Where there are discrepancies she seems willing now to put such difficulties aside for future elucidation at a later stage. She has great working and persuasive power and if she receives instruction from her own guardians or inner spirit or whoever they may be, will no doubt throw herself conamore into the Theosophical propaganda. A very little impulse now would set her to work on public lectures, but my own inclination is rather to wait a little longer and get the Society into a still more rigorous condition internally first – before urging her to do this.

Madam Gebhard is a person of the most indomitably steadfast nature, but she will have to go back now to Germany. Would you wish her to attempt the establishment of a T.S. lodge at Elberfeld? or is it not worthwhile to multiply branches

NOTES:

• con amore is an Italian expression for "with love" or "with tenderness."

Page 3

with ladies at their head?

Can you tell me whether you ever took possession of a letter from Madam Gebhard a year or two ago, and whether you gave her a mental reply as she is inclined to believe though anxious not to encourage impressions to that effect on insufficient grounds.

Can you tell me for my own guidance in dealing with such cases, what is the possibility before such women as Madam Gebhard, cool, resolute seekers of occult advancement with all the qualities apparently that aught qualify them for regular chelaship, if sex did not stand in the way? Are they likely to obtain an artificial reincarnation at death in a body better fitted for success?

Madam Gebhard seems to us to have the making of a tried chela in her, more even than Mrs Kingsford, great as the psychic gifts of this latter lady are, at all events to be as well qualified in a different way

NOTES:

• Mary Gebhard is known to have received at least two letters from K. H. and one from the Mahatma Morya, and may have had other communications from them.

Page 4

Now about my questions.

If a dead infant may be reincarnated on the lines of the old karmic affinities almost immediately, may the half grown boy or girl reincarnate at short periods. Say 1500 years is about the shortest interval for an adult, then may there be all the gradations of intervals in the case of young persons dying with imperfectly developed Karma. Common sense seems to indicate thus.

Is there any essential difference as to their spiritual origin between noxious and innocuous animals. Of course the crude idea about the noxious animals representing the relapse into lower forms of criminal egos once having elevated to a higher level, will not work: but there may be some mystery behind this problem susceptible of explanations.

The planet behind us in our

NOTES:

Page 5

chain, Mars, and the one in advance being apparently quite material on the same plane of materiality as the Earth now is and that the planets behind Mars and in advance of Mercury, are quite too ethereal to be perceived by physical observations ? There seems too abrupt a passage here from gross materiality to a high order of ethereality.

Spiritualistic cases to which such explanations as I can give seem not to apply keep multiplying on my hands.

Crookes stands in the way one direction with Katie King; fully materialized according to his account time after time always the same highly intelligent and distinct entity.

Drayson tells various stories pointing to accurate knowledge of facts by “spirits” quite outside the knowledge of any sitters also of cases in which predictions by spirits are verified afterwards.

This matter about

NOTES:

• Katie King was a materialized spirit appearing through many mediums.
• Drayson refers to General Alfred Wilks Drayson, a member of the London Lodge.
• sitters refers to mediums.

Page 6

conveyed either spiritualistically or by vision perplexes me very much. A few days ago, Mrs Kingsford had a vision of herself in a Hansom cab meeting with a certain accident of no great importance but precise in its nature. The accident only happened in the course of the day just as foreseen; and yet it could only have occurred by the confluence of a hundred different acts by different people each apparently determinedly free will. Mrs K has had many similar experiences.

Judged by external signs the Indo-British newspaper company looks as if it were hardly destined to acquire an adult karma; as if it might prove one of the failures of Nature we sometimes talk about. But until I hear from you that the enterprise has

NOTES:

Page 7

fallen through, I shall continue to believe that it will ultimately float. Only inasmuch as if it should not float, I shall have to recast my plans in life to some extent, I should be glad to know the worst at the earliest moment by telegraph if you would kindly have word sent to me that way, in the event of the scheme being definitely abandoned by you. Of course I hope I may never [word scratched out] receive any such telegram.

Your affectionately as Ever

A P Sinnett

NOTES:

Context and background

The next known letter from K. H. to Sinnett was Mahatma Letter No. 111 (in chronological numbering system, or No. 59 in the Barker system). That is quite a long letter covering many subjects.

Physical description of letter

Two sheets of paper were folded and written on both sides. Notations by K.H. are in blue ink. This letter is in a private collection.

Publication history

This letter has never been published before.

Commentary about this letter

The chief significance of this letter is that it is a rare example of Sinnett's side of his correspondence with the Mahatmas, and that Madame Blavatsky was instructed to preserve it.