Olcott H.S. - The Theosophical Society: Difference between revisions

<center>{{HPB-CW-comment|[Printed for the Information of Correspondents]}}</center><ref>{{HPB-CW-comment|[This is the New York Circular drafted mainly by Colonel H. S. Olcott and which was ready for distribution on May 3rd, 1878. A packet of these was given to Dr. H. J. Billing to take to London, and another to Countess Lydia de Pashkoff to take to Japan. As Col. Olcott points out himself (Old Diary Leaves, I, 399-400): “In drafting the New York circular it occurred to me that the membership of, and supervising entities behind, the Society would be naturally grouped in three divisions, viz., new members not detached from worldly interests; pupils, like myself, who had withdrawn from the same or were ready to do so; and the adepts themselves, who, without being actually members, were at least connected with us and concerned in our work as a potential agency for the doing of spiritual good to the world. With H.P.B.’s concurrence I defined these three groups, calling them sections, and sub-dividing each into three degrees. This, of course, was in the hope and expectation that we should have more practical guidance in adjusting the several grades of members than we had had-— or have since had, I may add.”<br>

There can he very little doubt of the fact that the inspiring guidance of the Adepts was back of the actual wording of this Circular. It is a document of primary importance in the history of the Theosophical Movement.—Compiler.]}}</ref>