Theos-Talk Archives (October 1996 Message tl00337)

This letter is in reply to an Email from Rich Taylor to Sy Ginsburg, inquiring
about the St. Louis conference.  I think it appropriate for discussion on
Theos-L if anyone would like to do that.

Dear Rich,

Thanks for the information on what ULT presently stands for, or I gather, that
is your view of it.  When I joined the T.S.A. (Adyar) in 1978, I was given an
application to sign.  The only requirement was for a prospective member to be
"in sympathy" with the 3 declared objects.  I thought at that time, what a great
organization this is!  Interestingly, the current membership form for T.S.A.
remains  the same with that being the only requirement for membership, and until
recently, I have been pleased to show it to prospective new members.  Now, I go
out of my way to tell such prospects that this is what the T.S. in Miami and
South Florida stands for.  I am silent about T.S.A. and Adyar because the
expulsion of Denmark by Adyar and the expulsion of Boston by TSA, both
apparently for putting to much emphasis on the study of the Alice Bailey
teachings, raises questions for me.

If it is official or unofficial ULT policy that what you call the "source
teachings"  are the basis of ULT membership, I personally find it objectionable,
just as I would find any such restriction by TSA/Adyar objectionable, because it
is not in concert with the 3 declared objects, which is all any member agrees to
be in sympathy with.  I take those objects seriously and that is why I joined
the TS in the first place.  My study of the history of the founding of the T.S.
is in accord with those objects.  You may recall that at the original organizing
meeting the participants were listening to a lecture on the Egyptian canon of
proportion, and the desire was to form an organization to investigate things of
this sort.  There was no Secret Doctrine written at that time, nor did the
Mahatma letters exist, nor did most of HPB's later writings.  There were no
"source documents" in existence.

Consequently, I must draw a distinction between theosophy, what I call
neo-theosophy (HPB and what has followed from her), and the Theosophical Society
itself, the basis of which lies in the original organizing meetings.

I personally consider myself a student of the Secret Doctrine and especially of
the Stanzas, and I have studied these for 18 years with a mentor who has written
2 major books on the subject.  But that study, which I choose to engage in is
just that: a study, it is not the Theosophical Society.  If another member of
the Society wants to study what Alice Bailey wrote, or some other writer, that
is their privilege.

It is for this reason that I support the  "Pledge of Friendship and Assistance"
, which was to be the substance of the St. Louis meeting.  It is a device for
those of us who feel strongly about the 3 declared objects which in present form
arose out of the original organizers intent, to reassert our support of those
objects in view of the above mentioned expulsions, and to defend them from
attack by those who would seek to define and limit what a Theosophical Society
may teach and study.

For those who are unfamiliar with the "Pledge", I am reproducing it here along
with the cover letter sent by the Friendship conference in St. Louis that was
cancelled by its convenors.

* ****************************
Dear Theosophical Organization Executive:

	We sincerely regret having to report to you that the Convenors of the
proposed Theosophical Friendship Conference in Webster Groves (St. Louis),
Missouri, on October 4 and 5, 1996, have called off that Conference, and it was
not held.  Since we did not receive a sufficient number of reservations from our
fellow Theosophists, we could not carry through with our plans.  Of course, we
would prefer to think that people are in sympathy with our purposes but simply
could not make the necessary travel arrangements for a variety of reasons.
Several friends have communicated support to us, and some even had indicated an
intention to attend.

	Experience tells us that consensus documents are best if they are put in
final form pursuant to deliberation in an open meeting attended by a diverse
group of individuals.  It was our hope to accomplish a perfection of our
proposed Pledge of Friendship and Assistance at the meeting after a briefing on
the reasons why we felt that such an agreement should be adopted.

	It now appears that we will not be able to present the Pledge as we had
hoped; however, perhaps the matter may be accomplished in another way.  Herewith
is a copy of the Pledge which we had intended to suggest to the Conference.
Would you please submit it to your Theosophical organization for consideration
and let us have your approval or suggested changes.  If a sufficient number of
Theosophical organizations approve of the Pledge, then it may be appropriate
later to submit it also to individual Theosophists.

	We are of the opinion that lines of communication between like-minded
Theosophists should be opened and maintained, and we look forward to your
support however it is communicated.

Sincerely
Carl Trauernicht, Jr.
Sy Ginsburg							

(sent to executives of several Theosophical Societies who have expressed
interest in the matter)

PLEDGE OF FRIENDSHIP AND ASSISTANCE

We whose names appear below hereby profess the greatest respect for and
admiration of the Society formed in the City of New York, New York (U.S.A.),
officially, on November 17, 1875, by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, Helena Petrovna
Blavatsky, William Q. Judge, and others.  It is, therefore, with profound
concern that we have observed recent actions taken by officers of the
Theosophical Society on both International (The Theosophical Society, Adyar,
India) and National (The Theosophical Society in America) levels to restrict or
expel members of national sections and lodges or branches thereof in an apparent
effort to disallow what we believe are authorized and proper pursuits of Truth
and the declared Objects of the Society.

	In our view, the collective threat of those International and National
actions may be injurious to the harmony to be sought within the Theosophical
Society as a whole, and we hold a most sincere desire to maintain that harmony
among members who are committed to the Society  heretofore maintained over many
decades, as well as among members of other Theosophical Societies and
organizations not affiliated with the above mentioned Theosophical Society.

	We whose names appear below (signatures on separate duplicate original
sheets constituting one document), as a consequence of the foregoing, hereby do
pledge to each other unwavering friendship and assistance, in whatever manner in
which we may render assistance, in support of every effort to permit each of us
to pursue the declared objects of the Society in our individual and collective
ways and to promote harmony within and the growth of the Theosophical Societies
the better to enable those Societies to disseminate the great Truths offered to
and through them for the benefit of Humanity.

Signing on behalf of an organization:
*Organization Name (please
print) _________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature _____________________________________,
Date _________________________
				
*Note: Agreement by an organization to this Pledge of Friendship and Assistance
is understood to mean approval of the organization through its collective
membership and/or governing body, in accordance with its authorized procedures.
It does not imply approval by every individual member of that organization.

Street ___________________________________, City:_________________, St:___, Zip
Code ________

Tel _________________________________, Fax:__________________________,
Email ________________

*	*	*	*	*	*	*	*
Signing as an individual:
Individual Name (please
print) ____________________________________________________________

Signature ________________________________________________,
Date _________________________

Street ___________________________________, City:_________________, St:___, Zip
Code ________

Tel _________________________________, Fax:__________________________,
Email ________________


The executed Pledge is to be returned to Carl Trauernicht, Jr. 314 N. Broadway,
Suite 1810, St. Louis, Mo. 63102  Tel: 314-421-0911  Fax: 314-421-0913.

Note: The Theosophical Society in Miami & South Florida and other Theosophical
organizations have already approved this Pledge.  If any individuals or
Theosophical organizations wish additional copies of the Pledge or further
information, please contact Carl Trauernicht Jr. or email to Sy Ginsburg