Blavatsky H.P. - Mr. Lloyds Questions to Mohini: Difference between revisions

[The following article, or draft of an article, in H. P. B.’s handwriting, exists in the Adyar Archives. It was originally published in The Theosophist, Vol. XLII, January, 1926, and republished in the same Journal, Vol. LXXV, June, 1954, with careful revision of uncertain readings and punctuation, and the addition of a reduced facsimile of the first page of the manuscript. The later consists of three questions put by Mr. Francis Lloyd to Mohini Mohun Chatterji, and H. P. B.’s answers thereto. Certain historical facts should be borne in mind for a correct understanding of her replies.

The London Lodge, founded in 1878, was the first “branch” to be chartered by the Parent Theosophical Society, and it carried on its work more or less successfully for a number of years. In 1883, A. P. Sinnett gave up his editorship of the Pioneer in India and settled down in London. His arrival gave renewed impetus to the activities of the London Lodge, but proved also to be a source of difficulty, for there arose in the Lodge at that time two distinct groups: one, the larger, led by A. P. Sinnett, {{Page aside|214}}was specially drawn to the Oriental and Tibetan teachings, as represented in his books, The Occult World and Esoteric Buddhism; the second, the smaller, led by Dr. Anna Bonus Kingsford and Edward Maitland, was more attracted to a revival of mystical and esoteric Christianity, the Kabala and the teachings of the Hermetic philosophy. The clash between the two groups was for a time a rather bitter one, and H. P. B. and Col. Olcott tried to bring about a reconciliation when they came to London in early April, 1884, accompanied by Mohini M. Chatterji, who was at the time Col. Olcott’s private secretary.

Dr. Anna B. Kingsford’s group was of a nature too different to mix with the followers of A. P. Sinnett. As suggested by H. P. B. in her answer to Mr. Lloyd’s third question, an attempt was made to run the two groups simultaneously within the framework of the London Lodge; a special branch was then chartered by Col. Olcott on April 9, 1884, called the Hermetic Lodge, for the study of the Kabalistic and Hermetic teachings under the inspiration of Dr. Kingsford (See Old Diary Leaves, III, 94). Nevertheless her followers felt hampered in their aims by inclusion in the Theosophical Society. On April 22, 1884, the Hermetic Lodge decided to surrender its Charter, and to form a separate organization. On May 9, 1884, it reconstituted itself under the name of Hermetic Society, at the residence of Mr. Francis Lloyd, 43 Rutland Gate, London W., Col. Olcott being present at this inaugural meeting (op.cit., p. 97). Mr. Lloyd was made the Treasurer of the new Society. (Above historical summary drawn from Notes by Katherine A. Beechey, Keeper of the Archives, Adyar, India.)