Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00039)

CWL12.TXT

This is the last of the presently available handwritten letters
   from Helen Dennis to Miss Gosse.  The "first page of my letter
   begun so long ago" may in fact be the text uploaded as CWL11.TXT
   - this will need to be verified if possible, but would account
   for it's incompleteness.

-------------------

5474 East End Ave
Chicago January 24th 1912

My dear Friend,

I received the dainty little book and am so glad it is from your
   hand and pen. I have read only half of it and I marvel at man's
   inhumanity to man.  Think of those horrid days of Inquisition!
   Surely the world is getting better, for that kind of thing never
   could happen now, altho there are subtler tortures going on I
   fancy in many places that we know anything about. I fancy too
   that you didn't publish a hundredth part of the loathsome awful
   things that happened during the exposure and persecution of the
   Knights Templar.  I wonder how old the race must become before
   its occult bodies can keep themselves decently clean!  The U.S.
   is riddled with occult bodies and at the core of each is some
   rank sex rottenness and books printed that are not fit to travel
   in the mails.  Ah well - if I hadn't gone through what I did in
   the T.S. I wouldn't believe possible the things of hearsay now.
   And now I can see that the worst is probably true.

I wrote you a long letter some months ago and before I realized
   what I was doing - there had dropped off my pen and trailed into
   words the many things I have thought and believe about the T.S.
   today - X and A.B. and so I did not send the letter as it could
   not but have hurt you while you give your respect and allegiance
   to the Society of which they are the head and stand before the
   world as spokesmen of the great mysteries as tho' they really
   represented righteousness and true moral and spiritual verities.
   Ah well, I seldom think of them anymore except as I think of
   those friends who like yourself I made while in the T.S. and
   under the glamour of A.B. or rather with my confidence in her
   moral integrity unshaken.  However my gratitude for the blessed
   truths of Theosophy will always be alive and fortunately can go
   where respect cannot.  So I trust the time may sometime come
   when I can show my appreciation wherever it is due.

I am enclosing the first page of my letter begun so long ago just
   to save rewriting its message of the first page.  Do you count
   the cost of over-working your woman's head for the next half of
   your life?  It is the worst part of a woman to overstrain at
   this time and recuperates the most slowly.

I am now reading James S. Pryse on the Apocalypse - Have you seen
   it?  I suspect his symbolism & yours will parallel each other &
   I shall look for it as I read them.  At present I have read only
   the historical part of yours.

I belong to a few civic and philanthropic bodies in which I am not
   active as my health is not good, but some day I hope to be able
   to help clean up some small spot on this little ball of earth,
   and I try to begin at home.  My family is well and the boys are
   men of 22 and 25 - both great joys to us.  Please give my
   regards to Mrs. Betts and I wish you both a happy New Year.

I thank you so much for the book and I am so glad you wrote my name
   in it - I may be asking the wise lady some questions about it
   and shall hope to understand most of it.

+Do you know the name of Lucy Bartlett since she married?  I met
   her in Chicago some years ago.

This must be all for now and may all the good you desire come to
   you.

Ever Sincerely,

Helen ID+

[+ This last section was written in the small space above the
   address and date on the first page]

----------------

Transcribed and uploaded by Alan Bain, 2 July 1996

---------
THEOSOPHY INTERNATIONAL:
Ancient Wisdom for a New Age
TI@nellie2.demon.co.uk
http://www.garlic.com/~rdon/TI.html