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Adyar Day-February 17 Ttttttt' Ttttttt ADYAR DAY-FEBRUARY 17 TTTTTTT' TTTTTTT MADAME H. P. BLAVATSKY Portrait Painted by Gutzon Borglum -x i.Ì .L L L L 1 -111. THE AMERICAN f o r m e r l y THE THEOSOPHICAL MESSENGER Official Organ of the American Theosophical Society Vol. X X II February, 1934 No. 2 The Presidential Candidates By C. JINARAJADASA HAVE no doubt whatsoever in my own which I try to give, for each lecturer or mind which of the two candidates for writer has his circle of inquirers and stu­ 1 president — Dr. G. S. Arundale or dents whom he can inspire better than Prof. E. Wood — is the more suitable any other lecturer or writer. But it is person to represent the Theosophical So­ not necessarily an author who is best at ciety before the world. Our Society is leadership. Leadership requires the abili­ a great international organization of re­ ty to drive a team, and to select the route pute, and during the twenty-six years of the future. It is on this point of the when Dr. Annie Besant was its president selection of the course of the Society that it has impressed itself on the public I differ fundamentally from Prof. Wood. opinion of every country. I shall speak frankly, for it is to me a Now, the president should surely be a matter of vital importance to the Society person who moves with ease among the Prof. Wood is strongly averse to the presidents of other international organi­ expression within the Society by its mem­ zations similar to ours, at great inter­ bers of their religious tendencies. Dr. national congresses and gatherings. Our Besant did her utmost not only to pour president should be one to command new life into the great Religions, but also attention, even by his mere appearance, to rouse the members to work in their by his distinction. I write this in Paris, faiths. Since Theosophy is the sum­ the center of the European world of mation of them all, she as president insti­ thought. It is impossible for me to think tuted in the Jubilee Convention of 1925 of an effective president of our Society the brief ceremony called the “ Prayer of moving among the twenty-two European the Religions.” Each Convention morn­ National Societies of Europe and unable ing, the official activities of the day began to address the members in French. Dr. with brief prayers from the representatives Arundale has all these qualifications which of a ll the Religions, ending with “ 0 Hidden I have in mind. Life” repeated by all in unison. Of course I know both candidates well: She held greatly to this symbol of union I have a great appreciation of the work within the Theosophical Society of all the which Prof. Wood has done to propagate great Faiths. But since 1932, Prof. Wood Theosophy. His many books give a pres­ has objected to the brief quarter-of-an- entation which is as necessary as that hour’s ceremony being scheduled in the 26 THE AMERICAN THEOSOPHIST “ official” part of the convention program. I Wood’s attitude, we shall have a repetition of the resisted the reversal of Dr. Besant’s policy so long condition of things when H. P. B. stepped in and as I could, but in 1932 he convinced the Vice saved the Society with her Esoteric School. President, and Dr. Besant’s policy was reversed. I know that many have doubts as to the useful­ I know from the difficulties which I have had at ness to the Society of a man who is a Bishop. Adyar, that Prof. Wood objects to the religious life But which is he first — a Theosophist or a Bishop? at our Headquarters, represented by the small Since he was five years old, when H. P. B. called temples and shrines erected at Adyar — some con­ him “ George Chela, Esq.,” and sent him a secrated by Dr. Besant, and one by Mr. Krishna- box of chocolates, Dr. Arundale has been a Theoso­ murti in 1925. phist first and last. He has been General Secretary Furthermore, it was in the Convention of 1930 of three Sections — England, India and Australia. at Benares that Prof. Wood speaking to the whole I know what misunderstandings might arise in the Society at a convention lecture asserted that the public mind; I am glad therefore, to quote the Esoteric School should be disbanded, as it thwarted following letter from him which should remove the proper development of the Society. what is a natural objection on the part of many. This objection to the influence within the Adyar, December 5,1933. Society of those who believe in and work for the “ You enquire from me this morning if a Masters is on a line with Colonel Olcott’s action certain report of an interview on behalf of a in 1885-88 when he eliminated from the Society Ceylon newspaper represented my views. and from The Theosophist references to the Masters. I have not seen the report. It was in 1877 that both H. P. B. and he publicly “ I endeavored to make clear in the inter­ proclaimed the Masters as members of the Society. view that my membership of the L. C. C. was Colonel Olcott’s action in 1885-88 produced the entirely subordinate to my membership of the following remarks from the Master K. H., as re­ T. S., that I had joined the Society in 1895 and ported by H. P. B.: “The Society has liberated the Church only in 1925 and that I had always itself from our grasp and influence and we have let and would have supreme allegiance to the it go — we make no unwilling slaves. He says he Society and to the teachings of Theosophy. has saved it? He saved its body, but he allowed “ I may add for your own information that, through fear its soul to escape; it is now a soulless with the entire concurrence of the Presiding corpse, a machine run so far well enough, but Bishop of the L. C. C., I should regard it a which will fall to pieces when he is gone.” duty, if elected president of the Society, to It was then that, in order to save the Society, abandon the use of clerical dress in ordinary H. P. B. practically levelled the pistol at the life, to ask that I be addressed as Dr. Arun­ Colonel’s head by threatening to make the Europ­ dale, and in all ways to avoid any danger of ean lodges into an autonomous Section not directed identification of the Society with the L. C. C. by Adyar, unless the Colonel gave way. He I have not made these decisions public because yielded, and consented to her forming her Esoteric they might be regarded as a bid for votes — a School, “ the heart of the Society,” as she called it. most reprehensible proceeding. But I shall With the policy which is inevitable from Prof. adopt them if I happen to be elected. Adyar Day B y A . P . W a r r i n g t o n DYAR DAY, February 17, is truly a me­ library building; (2) the dispensary, a furlong morial day of our presidents; first, of Colonel away; and (3) the one-time Star Building, nearly A Olcott, and now of Dr. Besant, for both half a mile away. But we have very recently loved Adyar and worked hard for it. In the case of ordered certain improvements to be made in the the Colonel, his heart was wrapped up in the main library building, which will enable us soon to library and the Panchama Schools; and she, on house all the books under one roof. her part, added greatly to the area of the estate, As to the general upkeep of the compound, I to provide facilities and proper environment for have recently appointed as garden superintendent, members who might come here to pursue a course a practical, successful business man — an Indian, of study. When she passed away, there was hang­ who is both a Theosophist and a Mason. My main ing in her room a little motto which she had had hope is that through this department we may be made, reading, “Work for Adyar.” It was her able eventually to make this compound self-sus­ custom, since the establishment of Adyar Day, to taining. I believe it can be done, and I believe divide the donations between the library, the that now we are headed in the right direction and Olcott Schools and the general upkeep of the have the proper management. compound. An Initiate once wrote of Adyar: “ It is essential As to the library, the books belonging to it are now housed in three separate places: (1) The main {Concluded on Pago SB) 27 C. W. Leadbeater B y A. P. WARRINGTON N The Canadian Theosophist published within one who (even had they ever seen him) was never the Society, there recently appeared appre­ so placed that they could personally judge of the I ciative articles devoted to the memory of truth or falsity of that which they now claim. Dr. Annie Besant.- Many beautiful and even I am sure that our late President, who fought tender things were said, which do the authors many a battle in the name of justice, would rise fine credit. and defend her brother in words of powerful It is regrettable, however, that they should eloquence and finality, were she but here. There have destroyed the value of their expressions by are very many throughout the length and breadth taking occasion to throw stones and mud upon of the world who, as she did, look upon him, now one whom the late President loved as a brother; in his ripe old age, with reverence and devotion, for whose powers and abilities she entertained the not only for the epoch-making pioneer work he highest regard, and with whom she for years has done in original research into the conditions worked in the closest harmony.
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