Theosophical Articles

 

 

Why Should I Join The Theosophical Society?

by H. T. Edge
From The Theosophical Forum, August 1936.


There are people interested in Theosophy, who study Theosophical books and perhaps go so far as to join study-groups or correspondence-classes; yet hold back from joining the Theosophical Society or may even declare their intention not to do so.

Nothing can be more commendable than the desire to understand the noble teachings of Theosophy. These teachings were given freely to all men by H. P. Blavatsky, the Founder of the Theosophical Society, and are passed on by her disciples in the same spirit; and to see others availing themselves of this priceless opportunity cannot but be a matter of rejoicing to all earnest Theosophists. And it is this very spirit of helpfulness which has inspired the present remarks to those newly interested in Theosophy, but who have not yet made up their minds to identify themselves with the work of the Theosophical Society.

It is of course clear that those who shrink from affiliating themselves with an organization must have what seem to themselves good and sufficient reasons for their attitude. But it will not be difficult to show that, whatever those reasons may be, the reasons in favor of such affiliation greatly outweigh them. At first, as regards possible reasons for not joining, one naturally hesitates to suggest that anyone would harbor in his mind a desire to secure the benefits without undertaking the obligations. Yet it seems necessary to point out that the solitary student however pure his motive may be, does actually by his conduct, does actually lay himself open to such an imputation; for he actually does enjoy the benefits of the Theosophical teachings, and yet contributes none of the services which only an affiliated member can contribute. It would seem then that such a position can be justified only on grounds which make self-interest the paramount consideration; unless indeed preponderating reasons on the other side can be adduced. It behooves the reluctant students therefore to consider their attitude carefully in the above light.

Another reason which can be alleged for not joining is that there are so many societies today, and so many of them have so little to commend them, that a self-respecting person feels justified in preferring to keep himself free. The cogency of such an argument may be conceded by anyone with any acquaintance with the state of the world today in the matter of weird cults and societies; yet here again it seems pertinent to inquire whether the motive prompting to seclusion does not rather lean toward the question of the advantages one may reap rather than the benefits one may enabled to confer.

But even putting the matter from the viewpoint of an enlightened self-interest, we may well ask whether it is really possible to study Theosophy in isolation. Both the Founder and William Q. Judge her successor insist strongly that real knowledge of Theosophy can come only through service, and that he who tries to make of Theosophy a study for self-advantage will be disappointed , for he will find himself revolving in an airless intellectual chamber. The mere doctrines and intellectual teachings can be acquired, but they will remain a barren and unserviceable acquisition unless accompanied by a practical realization of the Theosophical principles in conduct; for this alone can open that intuition by which our beliefs become converted into actual knowledge.

To quote H. P. Blavatsky:

Theosophy leads to action - enforced action, instead of mere intention and talk.
To merit the honourable title of Theosophist one must be an altruist above all, one ever ready to help equally foe or friend, to act rather that to speak, and to urge others to action while never losing an opportunity to work himself.
Self-knowledge is of loving deeds the child.
No Theosophist has the right to remain idle on the excuse that he knows too little to teach.
Nature gives up her innermost secrets and imparts true wisdom only to him who seeks truth for its own sake and who craves for knowledge in order to confer benefits on others, not on his own unimportant personality.

W. Q. Judge says:

The power to know does not come from book-study not from mere philosophy, but mostly from the actual practice of altruism in deed, word, and thought; for that practice purifies the covers of the soul and permits that light to shine down into the brain-mind.

It should be carefully noted that H. P. Blavatsky's main object was to form an organization; that she regarded this as the great agent for conveying her message to the world; that she speaks often and earnestly of its having active and devoted members. In the light of this fact it would seem that a student of Theosophy who declines to affiliate is not carrying out the intentions of the first Teacher of Theosophy. And this brings us to what will seem to many the most cogent argument for joining.

If it had not been for the devotion of members of the Theosophical Society in bygone days, the message of Theosophy which H. P. Blavatsky brought would have been allowed to die out and be forgotten. That wonderful knowledge which is now brought within the reach of all, and which we may perhaps propose to profit by in our own private studies, would never have been ours if all those faithful members in the past had declined to devote themselves to private study, to hold themselves aloof from affiliation. As we have received, so let us give; or shall we be content to be receivers only, and not givers? Far be it from anyone to rest such an imputation upon a fellow-man; but it does devolve upon the student to consider carefully his own conduct if he would clear himself of the imputation. One of the things that are the matter with the world today is that we have too many theories, too much intellectual study, and not enough practical people.

If the new student has rightly conceived the spirit of Theosophy, he must realize that it sets impersonal service above self-interest, and makes its appeal to duty, to moral obligation. Yet it can be easily shown that, even from the viewpoint of self-interest, the student who seeks isolation is depriving himself thereby of the very meat of Theosophy; for, as said above, it will remain for him a barren intellectual exercise and his inner faculties will remain closed. In the Theosophical view of human nature, man can have no real interest apart from that which he shares in common. In considering the advantages to be gained by affiliation, we cannot distinguish between personal and impersonal benefits, for the truth lies in conceiving these as identical.

To a neophyte, then, that has made up his mind that Theosophy for him is to mean service, and the acquisition of knowledge through service, the more external advantages of affiliation with an association of his fellow-believers will in the first place be evident. But as these are well-known and of a kind common to all similar associations, it will be needless to consider them here. In the second place, however, come the advantages of a less material kind: and these the man who has really grasped Theosophy ought to be able to appreciate more fully than is usually done. To a materialist it may not seem that the mere signing of a document produces any effect; but to a Theosophist, believing in unseen forces and hidden links, the formal act of affiliation should be the "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace"; and he ought to regard it as marking an epoch in his life, as the actual entry through a portal into an outer court of the temple of initiation. If he does not feel the reality of such an inward communion between members of the same fraternity, if he lacks the sense of solidarity, then his understanding of Theosophy is certainly imperfect. There are many who have so strong an intuitive perception of this fact that there first and impelling instinct is to unite themselves with their fellows of the same belief, the same enthusiasm. What is the feeling that makes others hold back and choose rather to pursue their studies separately? Can it be fear in any form? There are many forms of hesitancy, reluctance, self-deprecation, which shut us off from benefits that we might partake of; and sometimes we christen them with well-sounding names, such as modesty, self-respect, reluctance to push ourselves forward, humility. We may even pride ourselves on our ignorance and unworthiness; but, as we saw in the quotations from H. P. Blavatsky, no one calling himself a Theosophist can plead such things as an excuse from refraining from service.

The essential difference between Theosophy and other systems is that Theosophy entails the obligation of service as an indispensable condition of knowledge. In a quotation from the Masters, which is often made, it is stated emphatically that there purpose in sending a Messenger to proclaim their teachings was not to found an academy of learning, but to ameliorate the condition of mankind; and they insisted upon the formation of an organised body which should form the nucleus of a brotherhood of humanity. How then can we further the objects of the Founders by abstaining from active service and co-operation? In the above we have shown that even the desire for the acquisition of knowledge cannot be fulfilled without such service; but it may be added that there are nobler chords in the human heart than even the desire for knowledge, noble though that is, and among them is the desire to bring knowledge to others.