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The Golden Book Theosophical Society THE GOLDEN BOOK OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SOCIETY’S GROWTH FROM 1875—192ft ISSITKI) IN ( V) MM KM Oil AT ION OF Til K JUBILEE OF THE Til EOSOPIUCAL Society by its General Council EDITED BY C. JINARAJADASA, M.A. S t. J o h n ’s C o l l ., C amb. Vice-President of the Thcosoxihical Society 1925 P u b l i s h e d f o r t h e G e n e r a l C o u n c i l o f t h e T heosophical S o c i e t y b y THE THEOSOPHICAL PUBLISHING HOUSE Adyar, Madras, India COPYRIGHT (Translation and other rights reserved by the Publishers) D r . ANNIE BESANT President of the Theosophical Society ERRATA p. 16 line 9 “ personating f t . K.” correct to “ personating J. K.” p. 66 Fig. 79 “ J. N. Usmorla” 99 “ J. N. Unwalla” 99 99 “ Thomas Perira ” 99 “ Thomas Pereira” p. 68 Fig. 82 “ Tukaram Tattya” 99 “ Tukaram Tatya ” 1>. 89 line 9 “ form ” .99 “ from ” It is stated on p. 166, line 1, “ After his death, his followers have continued his work under Hugo Vollrath”. This is incorrect. Herr Vollrath’s organi­ sation is an independent one distinct from that formed by Dr. Hartmann’s followers. EDITOR’S FOREWORD A LARGE number of the illustrations in this book are from photographs forty to fifty years old, which have faded in the tropical climate of Adyar. National Societies may find among their members less faded originals; if such are sent to the editor, they will be substituted in subsequent editions. The Records of the T. S. at Adyar do not possess many photographs which could well have been incorporated, so as to make the work more complete. Many members have co-operated in compiling the material of the Golden Book. The editor’s task has been chiefly that of compilation. C. J. CONTENTS PAGE Early Days in Now York . 1 Til the Homo of the Masters 41 Occult Phenomena 53 At Adyar til) Tin* Coulomb Conspiracy . 82 Services to Ceylon Buddhists 93 The Adyar Library 97 ll.P.B. settles in Europe . 100 Theosophy in America 105 The Secret Doctrine 110 (Lionel Olcott in Japan and Australia 115 The Esoteric Section 119 The Passing of H.P.B. 122 Mrs. Bcsant in India 128 The Judge Case . 131 Peaceful Growth, 1895-1905 142 The Neutrality of tin* T.S. 145 Difficulties in U.S.A., 11)0(5 148 The Passing of Colonel Olcott 151 Mrs. Bcsant as President, T.S. 1(50 Theosophy in Germany 165 The Order of the Star in the E ast. 168 Expansion of Adyar 173 Occult Chemistry . 174 Mrs. Besa tit’s Indian Work 176 The Great War . 181 C. W. Loadbeatcr in Australia 182 Fifty Years of Service . 190 X THE GOLDEN BOOK OF THE T. S. PAGE The Jubilee Year ........ 194 Annie Besant and 0. W. Leadbeater ..... 197 The Jubilee of the T.S. ....... 201 Conclusion . .215 The Diary c the T.S., 1875-1925. .217 The Objects of the Thcosopliical Society . .241 Past and Present Officers of tin1 T.S. .250 Statistics of the T.S. .261 The T. Subba Row Medal . .265 Convention Lectures . 269 Federations of the T.S. .277 T.S. Order of Service . .281 Theosophioal Work for Children ...... 289 The Educational Work of Theosophists ..... 293 The Work of Young Theosophists . .305 Work of the Adyar Library (Eastern Section) .... 309 The T.S. Estate and Buildings at Adyar, Madras .... 313 Buildings owned by National Societies : I. India ........ 341 II. England ....... 354 III. Scotland ....... 359 IV. Wales . * . 363 V. United States of America ..... 367 VI. Australia ....... 373 VII. New Zealand . .379 VIII. Netherland Indies ...... 383 IX. Finland, Iceland, Burma, Costa Rica .... 387 Index ......... 391 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FKJ. • PAC2K Frontispiece—Dr. Annie Hesant. President of tin* Theo- sophical Society 1. II. P. Blavatsky—before 1875 . 1 2. Reproduction of Title page of H.P.B.’s Scrap Book No. I . 3 .1. H. P. Blavatsky . .... 5 4. Press cutting on first page of H.P.B.’s Scrap Book, mention­ ing her arrival at the Kddy Homestead on Oct. 14, 1874, with side remarks by her on the cutting . G 5. Policy (in her own words) followed by H.P.B. in 1874 regarding Spirit Manifestations . 7 G. II. S. Olcott on military service . 9 7. H. S. Olcott. .... 10 8. Press Cutting in the Spiritual Scientist, regarding the arrival of two Adept Teachers at New York in May 1875 . 11 9. H. P. Blavatsky . 1 1 10-11. First letter from the Brotherhood of Luxor to II. S. Olcott in 1875 ...... 13-14 12. Press cutting from the Spiritual Scientist, dated May 27, 1875, with H.P.B.’s side remarks, in her Scrap Book of 1874-75, announcing the organisation of the Miracle Club . 15 13. Remarks by H.P.B. in her Scrap Book after her reply in the Sjrirituaf Scientist to an article by “ Hiraf ’’ on “ Rosi­ er ucianism ” . .17 14. Circular attempting to make the Sfririturff Scientist the organ of occult teaching . .1 8 15. Note by H.P.B. in her Scrap Book about Orders received from India in July 1875 to establish a philosophico- religious Society ..... 19 1G. H.P.B.’s Seal in 1875 . 19 17. H.P.B.’s Residence in 1875 (3420, Sansom Street, Philadelphia) 20 THE GOLDEN BOOK OF THE T.S. FIO. PACE 18. Title page of the first publication of the T.S. 21 19. A page from the first publication of the T.S., giving the first list of Officers of the T.S. .... 22 24.A page from the first publication of the T.S., giving the ( original By-Laws . 23 20-23. bounding Members— G. H. Felt; IT. J. Newton; O. fc. Massey ; Mrs. Emma H. Britten 24 25. Emily Kislingbury ..... 25 20.Pasquale Menelao ..... 25 27.Demetrius Socolis ..... 25 31.T. A. Edison in 1878 ..... 25 28.Circular by the Founders in 1871) about the origin, plan and aims of the Society .... 2<‘> 29. Remark by 11. P. B. in her Scrap Book after Herbert Monachesi’s article in the Sunday Mercury of New York, praising the religions of India and China 28 30. Reproduction of the Pledge of Secrecy, signed by Thomas A. Edison on April 4, 1878, as a member of the T.S. 29 32. Mooljee Thackersey ..... 30 33.K. M. Shroff ..... 30 34.lit. Rev. M. Gunananda . 30 35. Emil, Prince Wittgenstein .... 30’ 39.H.P.B. in 1877 . 31 40. H.P.13. in 1878 ..... 32 41.II. S. Olcott in 1875 . 33 30. A. AksakofE ..... 34 37.Alfred Russell Wallace, F.R.S. 34 38. D. A. Courmcs ..... 34 43.Hurrychund Chintamon .... 34 42.W. Q. Judge ..... 35 40.Prof. Alexander Wilder .... 35 44.Swami Dayanand Saraswati .... 3G 45.T.S. Diploma, issued to members in early days in India 37 47. E. Wimbridge ..... 37 48.H.P.B.’s apartment, nicknamed the “ Lamasery 99—in 47th Street, corner of Fifth Avenue, New York 38 49.. Major Abner Doubleday .... 39 50.John W. Lovell ..... 39 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii Fir!. PAGE 51 Receipt issued on Sept. 23, 1875 to John W. Lovell on his joining the T.S. .... 3 9 52. H.P.B.’s Masonic Diploma . .4 0 53. Crow’s Nest, Bombay—Kntrance . .4 1 54. Crow’s Nest, Upper part, with H.P.B/s room . 42 55. Invitation Card for the first Convention at Bombay held on Nov. 29, 1879 . 4 3 56. Appearance of the cover of The Theoniphixl at its commence­ ment on Oct. 1, 1879 . 44 57. H.P.B. in 1880 ..... 45 58. A. P. Sinnett ..... 47 59. Mrs. Patience Sinnett. .4 7 (51. Group of the Founders and workers who went to Gallo, Ceylon, in May 1880 on the invitation of Buddhist High Priests ...... 48 GO. Rt. Rev. H. Sumangala .... 49 62. Certificate by II. S. Olcott attesting that he and H.P.B. had taken the Pancha Si la on May 19, 1880 . 50 63. H.P.B. about 1S79 ..... 52 64. Cup and Saucer precipitated by H.P.B. at Simla . 56 65. A. 0. Hume ...... 57 66. Damodar K. Mavalankar . .5 8 67. A. Sankariah ..... 58 68. H. II. Daji Raja, Thakore Sahib of Wadhwan . 59 69. Prince lfarisinghjee Rupsinghjee of Bliavnagar . 59 70. Gopalrao Ilari Deslimukh . .5 9 71. Adityaram Bhattacharya . .5 9 72. N. D. Khandalawala . 60 73. Norendro Nath Sen . 6 0 74. K. N. Seervai—Recording Secretary, T.S. 60 75. Dr. Anna M. Kunte ..... 60 76. Mahadev M. Kunte ..... 61 77. Dorabjee Dosabhoy ..... 61 78. Group at Crow’s Nest, Bombay, 1881 . 64 79. Convention Group, Bombay, 1882 . 66 80. Anna Bonus Kingford. .6 7 81. William Crookes, F.R.S. .6 7 82. Tukaram Tatya . .6 8 xiv THE GOLDEN BOOK OF THE T.8. PIG. PAGE 83. Nobin K. Bannerjee . 6 8 84. Adyar Headquarters in 1882 . 6 9 85. T. Subba Row ..... 70 86. Title page proposed in 1884 for the Secret Doctrine. 71 87. ^ page of the original draft of the Secret Doctrine . 72 88. A Group at Adyar ..... 74 89. General H. R. Morgan . 7 6 90. P. Sreenivasa Row . 7 6 91. T. Vijayaraghava Charlu . 7 6 92. Mohini M. Chatterjee ..... 76 93. Marie, Countess of Caithness . 7 7 94. Francesca Arundale . 7 7 95. C. W. Leadbeater . 7 7 96. Germania T.S. -First German Branch organised on July 27, 1884 .....
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