s a physical science, belonged to the
teachings of the Theosophical School.

It is a noticeable fact that neither Zoroaster, Buddha, Orpheus,
Pythagoras, Confucius, Socrates, nor Ammonius Saccas, committed anything
to writing. The reason for it is obvious. Theosophy is a double-edged
weapon and unfit for the ignorant or the selfish. Like every ancient
philosophy it has its votaries among the moderns; but, until late in
our own days, its disciples were few in numbers, and of the most various
sects and opinions. "Entirely speculative, and founding no schools, they
have still exercised 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.

----------
* "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.
--------

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 cert