Again, besides yourself the contributors to capital must be justly dealt by. Among them are wealthy Zemindars, but there are also poor patriots, who have made great exertions to subscribe their small sums from pure reverence to us and love of motherland. At least fifty such are waiting the latest turn of events, and husbanding their resources until the last moment before sending on their remittances to Calcutta. Devoted Theosophists in various parts of India have been actively soliciting for subscriptions, upon the theory of possible profit to capital set forth in Mr. Morgan's circulars; the project has been warmly advocated by Olcott, Colonel Gordon, Norendro, and others known and unknown to you: a financial disaster to The Phœnix of the nature you anticipate would compromise the personal influence of all. With such prospects, moreover, your late co-adjutor Mr. Dare would not care to help you even though Mr. Allen should permit him. And, finally, unless your personal faith in me were so blind as to swallow up your last instinct of prudence, you would not risk your own hard-earned capital in a fore-doomed failure, and so could not in conscience allow anyone else to do it. Except — except you were allowed to "cast the moral responsibility upon me"; in short, to make me by miracle — were that possible — force a success. If that had been permitted, the journal would have been already founded, and its voice have made itself heard amid the harsh din of contemporary Indian affairs.
I would have phrased my dispatch of today even stronger but that I should, by telling you to abandon the affair, again assume the responsibility of blocking your free-will. It is best that you should give the Bengal party the chance to state their conditions definitely and finally, and thereupon answer "yes" or "no." To save your time and expense I asked Olcott to cause Norendro Babu to send him the Landholders' proposals, that he may, upon the instant — knowing your views and character — say whether they are fit to lay before you or not. And if not, that he will immediately communicate with your Calcutta solicitors, as you requested.
This is the present situation of affairs and very bad it is for India. It is premature as yet to tell you more of the secret influence that has brought it on, but you may hear of it later. Nor may I forecast the future, except so far as to draw more than ever your attention to the black clouds that are gathering over the political sky. You know I told you long ago to expect many and great disturbances of all kinds as one cycle was closing and the other beginning its fateful activities. You already see in the seismological phenomena of late occurrence some of the proof; you will see a great many more and shortly. And if we have to regret the blasting of a humanitarian project, it should at least mitigate the severity of your disappointment to feel that in a bad time like this one has to contend against seen and unseen influences of the most hostile nature.
And now, a pleasanter word before concluding. Your decision to follow my lead into the Phœnix matter even with the, to you, certainty of social degradation and pecuniary loss, had the reward of its Karma already. So I conclude, at any rate, by the results. Though there was no test — (so odious to you) — meant, yet you were as good as tested and you have not quailed. The fiat of contingent non-intercourse between us has been partially revoked. The prohibition with regard to other Europeans is as strictly as ever, but in your case it is removed. And this consent, I know, has a direct bearing upon your consent — the great sacrifice of your personal feelings in the present situation. "This Peling" was found to have "really redeeming qualities!" But be warned, my friend, that this is not the last of your probations. It is not I who create them, but yourself — by your struggle for light and truth against the world's dark influences. Be more careful as to what you say upon forbidden topics. The "eighth sphere" mystery is a very confidential subject, and you are far from understanding even its general aspects. You were repeatedly warned and should not have mentioned it. You have unintentionally brought ridicule upon a solemn matter. I have nought to do with the Replies to Mr. Myers, but, you may recognise in them, perhaps, the brusque influence of M.
K. H.
I am advised to request that, for the future, communications intended for me may be sent thro' either Damodar or Henry Olcott. Madame B's discretion is not improving in ratio with her physiological enfeeblement.
Letter No. 115 (ML-129) Dated November 27, 1883
These telegrams bring a complete change of subject. Nowhere is it explained how they came into Sinnett's possession.
In October and November of 1883, Olcott, accompanied by Damodar and W.T. Brown, was touring in Northern India. Quite a number of astonishing things happened while Olcott and his associates were on this tour. They are related in detail in Chapters 2 through 5 of ODL, volume 3.
While at Lahore both Olcott and Brown received visits from the Mahatma K.H. With each of them, on this visit, the Mahatma left a letter enclosed in silk cloth. The letters were simply materialized in their hands. Many other interesting things happened on this tour, but it was at Jammar that Damodar disappeared. Damodar had been a chela of the Mahatma K.H. for a number of years. He had long been aware of the Master. When he was a boy, during a severe illness, he received a visit from him and was later able to identify him as the Mahatma K.H. With Damodar, it was "all or nothing." His was a singularly intense temperament.
"His coming with us on the present tour," says the Colonel, "was by command of his Guru... and throughout the journey we had many proofs of the progress he was making in spiritual unfolding." Damodar was involved in several of the amazing happenings on the tour.
When Olcott awakened on the morning of November 25 to find Damodar gone — with no clue to where he had gone or when he would return, he (the Colonel) searched through the small bungalow in which they were staying, but found no one. When he returned to his own room, however, there were notes from both the Mahatma K.H. and Damodar on his table. Olcott does not say specifically what was in the notes, but the one from the Mahatma must have been to the effect that they (the Mahatmas) had taken Damodar, for that is the substance of the telegram which the Colonel sent at once to H.P.B., shown here as being at 10:15. The words at the bottom, in dark print, are important: "We will send him back. K.H."
Class P. INDIAN TELEGRAPH. Local No. 48
To
Station Adyar Madras
To
Person Madame Blavatsky
From
Station Jummoo
From
Person Col. Olcott
The
Masters have taken Damodar return not promised
We will send him back.
K. H.