The Theosophical movement was begun as a work of the Brotherhood1 of which H. P. B. is a member, and in which the great Initiate2, who was by her called Master, is one of the Chiefs.
It was started among Western people by Western people, the two chief agents being H. P. B., a Russian,20 and H. S. Olcott, an American. The place where it was started was also Western—the City of New York.
But notwithstanding that the Brotherhood thus had it begun, it must, as a Society, be kept with a free platform, while, at the same time, its members are individually free to take and hold what belief they find approved by conscience, provided that belief does not militate against Universal Brotherhood. Hence they are at perfect liberty to believe in the Lodge3 of that Brotherhood and in its messengers, and also to accept their doctrines4 as to man, his nature, powers and destiny as given out by the messengers on behalf of the Lodge.
The fact is significant that the Theosophical movement was thus, as said, begun in the Western world, in the country where the preparations for the new root race are going on, and where that new root is to appear. This was not to give precedence to any one race or country over another, or to reduce any race or country, but was and is according to the law of cycles, which is a part of evolution. In the eye of that great Law no country is first or last, new or old, high or low, but each at the right time is appropriate for whatever the work is that must be performed. Each country is bound up with all the others and must assist them.
This movement has, among others, an object which should be borne in mind. It is the union of the West with the East, the revival5 in the East of those greatnesses which once were hers, the development in the West of that Occultism which is appropriate for it, so that it may, in its turn, hold out a helping6 hand to those of older blood who may have become fixed7 in one idea, or degraded in spirituality.
For many centuries this union has been worked towards and workers have been sent out through the West to lay the foundations. But not until 1875 could21 a wide public effort be made, and then the Theosophical Society came into existence because the times were ripe and the workers ready.
Organisations, like men, may fall into ruts or grooves8 of mental and psychic9 action, which, once established, are difficult to obliterate10. To prevent those ruts or grooves in the Theosophical movement, its guardians11 provided that necessary shocks should now and then interpose so as to conduce to solidarity12, to give strength such as the oak obtains from buffetting the storm, and in order that all grooves of mind, act, or thought, might be filled up.
It is not the desire of the Brotherhood that those members of the Theosophical movement who have, under their rights, taken up a belief in the messengers and the message should become pilgrims to India. To arouse that thought was not the work nor the wish of H. P. B. Nor is it the desire of the Lodge to have members think that Eastern methods are to be followed, Eastern habits adopted, or the present East made the model or the goal. The West has its own work and its duty, its own life and development. Those it should perform, aspire13 to and follow, and not try to run to other fields where the duties of other men are to be performed. If the task of raising the spirituality of India, now degraded and almost suffocated14, were easy, and if thus easily raised could it shine into and enlighten the whole world of the West, then, indeed, were the time wasted in beginning in the West, when a shorter and quicker way existed in the older land. But in fact it is more difficult to make an entry into the hearts and minds of people who, through much lapse15 of time in fixed metaphysical dogmatism, have built, in the psychic and psycho-mental planes, a hard impervious16 shell around themselves, than it is to make that entry with Westerners who, although they may be meat eaters, yet have no fixed opinions deep laid in22 a foundation of mysticism and buttressed17 with a pride inherited from the past.
The new era of Western Occultism definitely began in 1875 with the efforts of that noble woman who abandoned the body of that day not long ago. This does not mean that the Western Occultism is to be something wholly different from and opposed to what so many know, or think they know, as Eastern Occultism. It is to be the Western side of the one great whole of which the true Eastern is the other half. It has, as its mission, largely entrusted18 to the hands of the Theosophical Society, to furnish to the West that which it can never get from the East; to push forward and raise high on the circular path of evolution now rolling West, the light that lighteth every man who cometh into the world—the light of the true self, who is the one true Master for every human being; all other Masters are but servants of that true One; in it all real Lodges19 have their union.
Woe20 is set apart—not by Masters but by Nature's laws—for those who, having started in the path with the aid of H. P. B. shall in any way try to belittle21 her and her work, still, as yet not understood and by many misunderstood. This does not mean that a mere22 person is to be slavishly followed. But to explain her away, to belittle her, to imagine vain explanations with which to do away with what is not liked in that which she said, is to violate the ideal, is to spit back in the face of the teacher through whom the knowledge and the opportunity came, to befoul the river which brought you sweet waters. She was and is one of those servants of the universal Lodge sent to the West to take up the work, well knowing of the pain and obloquy23 and the insult to the very soul—worst of all insults—which were certain from the first to be hers. "Those who cannot understand her had best not try to explain her: those who do not find themselves strong enough for the23 task she plainly outlined from the beginning had best not attempt it." She knew, and you have been told before, that high and wise servants of the Lodge have remained with the West since many centuries for the purpose of helping it on to its mission and destiny. That work it would be well for the members of the Theosophical movement to continue without deviating24, without excitement, without running to extremes, without imagining that Truth is a matter of either longitude25 or latitude26: the truth of the soul's life is in no special quarter of the compass, it is everywhere round the whole circle, and those who look in one quarter will not find it.
(This letter is marked in red pencil, by the hand of Mr. Judge, "unfinished." In fact, it ends with the word "will," as above, but in publishing earlier some extracts from this letter, the owner had the permission of the writer to supply the last three words, which he had intended to place there when called away, and in his haste for the post, in returning, had omitted to add.)
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1
brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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2
initiate
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| vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入 | |
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3
lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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4
doctrines
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| n.教条( doctrine的名词复数 )；教义；学说；（政府政策的）正式声明 | |
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5
revival
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| n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振 | |
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6
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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7
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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8
grooves
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| n.沟( groove的名词复数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏v.沟( groove的第三人称单数 )；槽；老一套；（某种）音乐节奏 | |
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9
psychic
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| n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的 | |
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10
obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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11
guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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12
solidarity
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| n.团结；休戚相关 | |
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13
aspire
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| vi.(to，after)渴望，追求，有志于 | |
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14
suffocated
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| （使某人）窒息而死( suffocate的过去式和过去分词 )； （将某人）闷死； 让人感觉闷热； 憋气 | |
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15
lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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16
impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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17
buttressed
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| v.用扶壁支撑，加固( buttress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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20
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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21
belittle
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| v.轻视，小看，贬低 | |
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22
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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23
obloquy
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| n.斥责，大骂 | |
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24
deviating
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| v.偏离，越轨( deviate的现在分词 ) | |
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25
longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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26
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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