245...
TO THE PUBLIC
At a meeting of the Theosophical Society, held this day, the statement having been read from a London journal that D. D. Home, the medium, will devote some portion of his forthcoming work to “The Theosophical Society; its vain quest for sylphs and gnomes,” and other matters pertaining to the organization, a committee was appointed to make known the following facts:
1. The Theosophical Society has been from the first a secret organization.
2. The communication of any particulars as to its affairs, except by direct authority, would be a dishonorable act.
3. The medium in question cannot possibly have any knowledge of these matters, except from persons who have long ceased to be members, and have violated their obligations, or persons discredited and disgraced at a very early period in the history of the Society. Therefore, whatever statements he may publish cannot be relied upon or verified.
246 Whether this Society, or sections, or individual members have seen “Elementary” or other spirits at its meetings, concerns themselves alone. They will act as judges themselves when any phenomena have occurred that are suitable to give to the public. That magical phenomena do sometimes happen in presence of members of the Society when strangers can witness them, may be inferred from the editorial description which appeared in the New York World of Monday last.
The Theosophical Society is quietly prosecuting those subjects which interest the members, careful to neither infringe upon any person’s rights nor to transcend its own legitimate field. In advance, therefore, of an authoritative report of its own doings, it is unprofitable to pass judgement upon biased inferences made by third parties upon the allegations either of those who do not know the truth, or such as by an act of treachery have proved themselves incapable of speaking it.
H. S. OLCOTT, President. R. B. WESTBROOK, D.D., Vice Pres. PROF. ALEX. WILDER, M.D., Vice Pres. H. P. BLAVATSKY, Cor. Sec. EMMA HARDINGE-BRITTEN. G. L. DITSON, M.D. H. J. BILLING, M.D. L. M. MARQUETTE, M.D. W. Q. JUDGE (Counsel). H. D. MONACHESI. MORTIMER MARBLE. SOLON J. VLASTO. J. F. OLIVER. } Committee of the Theosophical Society
[Official Copy]
A. GUSTAM, Secretary. New York, March 30th, 1877.