Theos-Talk Archives (March 1995 Message tl00056)

To Whom It May Concern
Shanti!

The name of this book, in case anyone wants to look at it, is
"Readers' Guide to The Mahatma Letters to A.P.  Sinnett" Compiled
& edited by Geroge E.  Linton and Virginia Hanson.  Published by
the TPH.  Our Library sent me the 2d ed.  of 1988.

On the first page there's "Acknowledgements, second edition 1988"
......"To DANIEL H.  CALDWELL, research student in Tucson, Az.,
sincere appreciation for supplying considerable valuable
information on various aspects of the "Letters".

Daniel H.  Caldwell is the person on this list who a few days ago
wrote that letters #22 and #134 were on the same subject matter
as letter #10.  Daniel, it is hoped that you'll take an active
part in this, since you're so familiar with the ML.  Could you be
our Resident Scholar? Also, any anecdotes you would care to write
re your connection with Virginia, George, & the ML, would be most
welcome.  I'm speaking for myself here, but I think others would
enjoy your experiences & knowledge too.  Makes the material come
alive.

What's in this book:

Explanatory notes, Abbreviations, Chronology, Study notes,
Aphabetical notes, Appendices (A-I), Summary & Chronology of the
letters.

I'd like to quote a little from the beginning of the study notes
for letter #10, about matters which I found of interest...  maybe
it'll interest others as well.

"This is one of the letters most often referred to, sometimes
called 'Letter concerning God'.

"This is probably the most controversial letter in the volume."

Speaking of the volume, Nicholas you listed some 30 odd letters.
Is that all there is in the new ML? my older edition has 149
letters.

Also, to me the chronological order in the book is not a problem.
I have these few printed pages which I pasted into the front
cover.  I think it's called a concordance.  It lists the letter
in chronological order, so that, when I read through the letters,
years ago, I read them in chronological order by following that
list.  Dunno where the pp.  came from ...  probably from the TPH.

"....  these 'Notes' have caused some people to reject the whole
occult philosophy because of the denial of the traditional
concept of God.  The student is therefore asked to withold
judgement.  The Mahatma KH's comments are not expressed in
today's language .....

"...  in using the word 'God', the Mahatma is dealing with the
common concept of a being who, ...  sits outside his creation
quite separate from it, but with power over every atom of it.  In
short, the kind of God in whom many people, & certainly many
people in the West, believed implicitly for decades; ..  many
still do."

The text is interspersed with quotes from scientists vintage
1970ies

"It is probable that the average intelligent Christian's concept
of God does not agree with the concept which the Mahatma is
attacking.

"...  the Mahatmas were Buddhists ....  in Buddhism, there is no
mention of God....  It is ...  the advice of a spiritual
physician.  The Buddha gives the cause of the human condition as
ignorant craving....  What is the cure?....  a way of life.

" 'It is one of the elementary & fundamental doctrines of
Occultism,' says ..  KH elsewhere ...' that the 2 (spirit &
matter) are one, and are distinct but in their respective
manifestations, & only in the limited perceptions of the world of
senses'"

Good day,

Liesel