It is probable that Sinnett became a bit discouraged over events in the London Lodge, and he may have written to the Mahatma concerning this. Letter No. 123 is a personal note of encouragement and concern. It is impossible to tell precisely when it was written or received, so that it may be incorrectly placed in the chronology. That aspect perhaps does not matter, since no event is mentioned.
I have just taken your note from where it was placed by her as, although I might take cognisance of its contents otherwise, you will prefer that the paper itself should pass into my own hand. — Does it seem to you a small thing that the past year has been spent only in your "family duties"? Nay, but what better cause for reward, what better discipline, than the daily and hourly performance of duty? Believe me my "pupil," the man or woman who is placed by Karma in the midst of small plain duties and sacrifices and loving-kindness, will through these faithfully fulfilled rise to the larger measure of Duty, Sacrifice and Charity to all Humanity — what better path towards the enlightenment you are striving after than the daily conquest of Self, the perseverance in spite of want of visible psychic progress, the bearing of ill-fortune with that serene fortitude which turns it to spiritual advantage — since good and evil are not to be measured by events on the lower or physical plane. — Be not discouraged that your practice falls below your aspirations, yet be not content with admitting this, since you clearly recognise that your tendency is too often towards mental and moral indolence, rather inclining to drift with the currents of life, than to steer a direct course of your own. Your spiritual progress is far greater than you know or can realize, and you do well to believe that such development is in itself more important than its realization by your physical plane consciousness. I will not now enter into other subjects since this is but a line of sympathetic recognition of your efforts, and of earnest encouragement to hold a calm and brave spirit toward outward events in the present, and a hopeful spirit for the future on all planes — truly yours,
K. H.
Letter No. 124 (ML-94) Rec. April 1884
In the Mahatma's long letter of explanation on the Kiddle incident (Letter No. 117 [ML-93]), he told Sinnett that he could make what use he wished except to publish it or share it with others.
The December 1883 issue of The Theosophist carried articles on the subject by General Morgan, Dharani Dhu, and Subba Row which, the Mahatma says in this letter, were published with his permission.
In the Fourth English edition (1884) of The Occult World, Sinnett, in explanation of the Kiddle Incident, mentions these articles and adds: "A month or two after the appearance of these fragmentary hints, I received a note from the Mahatma relieving me of all restrictions previously imposed on the full letter of explanation he had previously sent me." This is the letter removing those restrictions.
My dear friend — Amid the various and arduous labours it has pleased the venerable Chohan to entrust me with — I had entirely forgotten the "Kiddle incident." You have my explanation. In asking you to keep me the secret I only meant the withholding of certain details that, in their ignorance of the scientific process, your and my opponents would take exception to, make of it a pretext for poking fun at occult sciences and finally charge me with clumsy lies and yourself with credulity, or "hero-worship" as the golden-haired nymph of the Vicarage puts it. But if you are prepared to stand the fire of furious denial and adverse criticism, make of my letter and explanations the best use you can. The several letters and articles in the last numbers of the Theosophist given out with my permission — by Gen. Morgan, Subba Row and Dharani Dhar239 may pave the way for you. I would not have "the propagation of Theosophy" impeded on my account and to save my name from a few extra blows.
Yours in haste,
Letter No. 125 (ML-61) Rec. April 15, 1884
By this time, the election of officers of the London Lodge had taken place; H.P.B. had come and gone. Col. Olcott and Mohini were staying in the Sinnetts' home. The Mahatma M. has undertaken to let Sinnett know what is to be done about Mohini.
Sinnett Sahib is, my respectful salams — informed that his "guardian" is so occupied upon official business that he cannot give even a moment's consideration to the L.L. or its members; nor to write him individually whether by pen or precipitation — the more difficult, not to say costly, method of the two — to our reputations in the West anyhow.
Mohini cannot stop in London indefinitely, nor for any greater length of time as he has duties to perform elsewhere — duties to his family as well as others to the Theosophical Society. Besides being a chela and so not a free man — in the ordinary acceptation of the term — he has numerous mouths to feed at Calcutta, and moreover must earn enough more to repay the friend who advanced him £125 money toward the expenses of his present mission, whatever K.H. may or may not do for him, something he is prohibited counting upon, as every other chela. At the same time let it be known to you that he needs temporary change of climate. He suffered greatly from cold in that high room where there is no fireplace in your house, and K.H. had to surround him with a double shell against a death cold that threatened him. Remember Hindus are exotic plants in your inclement pays240 and cold, and those who need them have to take care of them. (If when annoying Olcott on Sunday last to tell you this information, I did not make him tell you, and add this, it is because I wanted to spare him in your mind, already prejudiced against him and inclining towards a belief that he spoke out of his head.)
Again, if you need Mohini's help at London the Theosophists at Paris require it even more since their occult education is inferior to yours. It is planned that he should divide his time equally among all the European "centres of spiritual activity," and if he is now required at Paris on the 11th inst. he will also be allowed to come back to London when the Continental movement is fairly inaugurated. In any event you will have Olcott the better part of the time. But fear not: if Henry is allowed to prolong his stay in London he will not "worry" either of you by coming down in his extravagant Asiatic undresses — for he will not stop with you but with the Arundale ladies — as ordered before now, the order being reiterated by me when Madame Sahib remarked it was better he should stop where he was after Upasika had left. Nor is Olcott worse than many others, and though some persons may not concede it there are worse wranglers than he. I must not close without letting you know that in the Kingsford row justice is no longer on your side. Though unwilling to confess — you show spite Sahib, personal spite. You have defeated her and you now would mortify and punish her. This is not right. You ought to learn to dissociate your consciousness from your external self more than you do if ye would not lose K.H. For he is much annoyed at what goes on. Excuse my remarks but it is for your own benefit. So begging pardon.
M.
Letter No. 126 (ML-62) Rec. July 18, 1884
Received 18-7-84.
My poor, blind friend — you are entirely unfit for practical occultism! Its laws are immutable; and no one can go back on an order once given. She can send on no letters to me, and the letter ought to have been given to Mohini. However, I have read it; and I am determined to make one more effort — (the last that I am permitted) — to open your inner intuition. If my voice, the voice of one who was ever friendly to you in the human principle of his being — fails to reach you as it has often before, then our separation in the present and for all times to come — becomes unavoidable. It pains me for you, whose heart I read so well — every protest and doubt of your purely intellectual nature, of your cold Western reason — notwithstanding. But my first duty is to my Master. And duty, let me tell you, is for us stronger than any friendship or even love; as without this abiding principle which is the indestructible cement that has held together for so many milleniums, the scattered custodians of nature's grand secrets — our Brotherhood, nay, our doctrine itself — would have crumbled long ago into unrecognisable atoms. Unfortunately, however great your purely human intellect, your spiritual intuitions are dim and hazy, having been never developed. Hence, whenever you find yourself confronted by an apparent contradiction, by a difficulty, a kind of inconsistency of occult nature, one that is caused by our time honoured laws and regulations — (of which you know nothing, for your time has not yet come) — forthwith your doubts are aroused, your suspicions bud out — and one finds that they have made mock at your better nature, which is finally crushed down by all these deceptive appearances of outward things! You have not the faith required to allow your Will to arouse itself in defiance and contempt against your purely worldly intellect, and give you a better understanding of things hidden and laws unknown. You are unable, I see, to force your better aspirations — fed at the stream of a real devotion to the Maya you have made yourself of me — (a feeling in you that has always profoundly touched me) — to lift up the head against cold, spiritually blind reason; to allow your heart to pronounce loudly and proclaim that which it has hitherto only been allowed to whisper: "Patience, patience. A great design has never been snatched at once." You were told, however, that the path to Occult Sciences has to be trodden laboriously and crossed at the danger of life; that every new step in it leading to the final goal is surrounded by pit- falls and cruel thorns; that the pilgrim who ventures upon it is made first to confront and conquer the thousand and one furies who keep watch over its adamantine gates and entrance — furies called Doubt, Skepticism, Scorn, Ridicule, Envy and finally Temptation — especially the latter; and that he who would see beyond had to first destroy this living wall; that he must be possessed of a heart and soul clad in steel, and of an iron, never failing determination and yet be meek and gentle, humble and have shut out from his heart every human passion, that leads to evil. Are you all this? Have you ever begun a course of training which would lead to it? No; you know it as I do. You are not born for it; nor are you in a position, — a family man with wife and child to support, with work to do — fitted in any way for the life of an ascetic, not even of a — Mohini. Then why should you complain that powers are not given you, that even proof of our own powers begins to fail you, etc.? True, you have offered several times to give up meat and drink, and I have refused. Since you cannot become a regular chela why should you? I thought you had understood all this long ago; that you had resigned yourself, satisfied to wait patiently for future developments and for my personal freedom. You know I was the only one to attempt and persevere in my idea of the necessity of, at least, a small reform, of however slight a relaxation from the extreme rigidity of our regulations if we would see European theosophists increase and work for the enlightenment and good of humanity. I failed in my attempt, as you know. All I could obtain was to be allowed to communicate with a few — you, foremost of all, since I had chosen you as the exponent of our doctrine that we had determined to give out to the world — to some extent at least. Unable on account of work to continue my teaching regularly, I was decided to resume it after my work had been done, and I had a few hours of leisure at my disposal. I was tied hand and foot when I made that attempt to let you have a paper of your own. I was not permitted to use any psychical powers in that matter. You know the results. Yet, I would have succeeded even with the small means of action I had at my disposal had it not been for the Ilbert Bill excitement. Have you ever given a thought, or ever suspected the real reason of my failure? No; for you know nothing of the ins and outs of the work of karma — of the "sideblows" of this terrible Law. But you do know that there was a time when you felt the profoundest contempt for us all, of the dark races; and had regarded the Hindus as an inferior race. I will say no more. If you have any intuition, you will work out cause and effect and perhaps realize whence the failure. Then again you had against you the command of our Supreme Chief — not to interfere with the natural growth of the L.L. and the development, psychic and spiritual, of its members — especially with yours. You know that even to write to you occasionally has been permitted only as a special favour after the Phoenix failure. As to the exhibition of any psychic or occult powers — that was, and still is, entirely out of question. You felt astonished at the interference in the quarrel between the L.L. and Kingsford? And you are unable yet to realize why we did this and that? Believe me that you will learn some day when you know better — that it was all brought on BY YOURSELF.