a silent influence upon philosophy; and no doubt, when the time arrives, many ideas thus silently propounded may yet give new directions to human thought,” remarks Mr. Kenneth R. H. Mackenzie, himself a mystic and a Theosophist, in his large and valuable work, “The Royal Masonic Cyclopaedia” (articles “Theosophical Society of New York,” and “Theosophy,” p. 731).* Since the days of the fire-philosophers, they had never formed themselves into societies, for, tracked like wild beasts by the Christian clergy, to be known as a Theosophist often amounted, hardly a century ago, to a death-warrant.

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* “The Royal Masonic Cycloptedia of History, Rites, Symbolism, and
Biography.”  Edited by Kenneth R. H. Mackenzie IX. (Cryptonymus) Hon.
Member of the Canongate Kilwinning Lodge, No. 2, Scotland.  New York J.
W. Bouton, 706, Broadway. 1877.
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The statistics show that, during a period of 150 years, no less than 90,000 men and women were burned in Europe for alleged witchcraft.  In Great Britain only, from A.D. 1640 to 1660, but twenty years, 3,000 persons were put to death for compact with the “Devil.”  It was but late in the present century—­in 1875—­that some progressed mystics and spiritualists, unsatisfied with the theories and explanations of Spiritualism started by its votaries, and finding that they were far from covering the whole ground of the wide range of phenomena, formed at New York, America, an association which is now widely known as the Theosophical Society.

(—­H.P.  Blavatsky)

How a “Chela” Found his “Guru”

[Being Extracts from a private letter to Damodar K. Mavalankar, Joint Recording Secretary of the Theosophical Society.]

....When we met last at Bombay I told you what had happened to me at Tinnevelly.  My health having been disturbed by official work and worry, I applied for leave on medical certificate and it was duly granted.  One day in September last, while I was reading in my room, I was ordered by the audible voice of my blessed Guru, M—–­Maharsi, to leave all and proceed immediately to Bombay, whence I was to go in search of Madame Blavatsky wherever I could find her and follow her wherever she went.  Without losing a moment, I closed up all my affairs and left the station.  For the tones of that voice are to me the divinest sound in Nature, its commands imperative.  I traveled in my ascetic robes.  Arrived at Bombay, I found Madame Blavatsky gone, and learned through you that she had left a few days before; that she was very ill; and that, beyond the fact that she had left the place very suddenly with a Chela, you knew nothing of her whereabouts.  And now, I must tell you what happened to me after I had left you.