Theos-Talk Archives (April 1997 Message tl00225)

Here is an excerpt from the well known book "Candles in the Sun" by Emily
Lutyens. In the light of the funding by rich Theosophists, it might interest
some here.

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"Two very important recruits joined the T.S. that year. Miss Mary Dodge, and
Muriel, Countess De La Warr. Miss Dodge was an immensely rich American and,
without exception, the most nobly generous woman I have ever met. She was
crippled with arthritis, and was in a wheel-chair all the time I knew her.
She had known my husband before I met her. He had gone on a cruise with her
in the Baltic in 1906. Soon after I joined the T.S. she invited me to come
and see her at Warwick House, St. James's, which she had rented and shared
with Lady De La Warr, her close friend. Miss Dodge had been interested in
Spiritualism, and knew something of Theosophy. I gave her a glowing account
of what it meant to me, and soon afterwards she and Lady De La Warr both
became members. From that moment Miss Dodge poured out her fortune in the
furtherance of Theosophy and in helping individual Theosophists. There was
no limit to her kindness and generosity, but I regret to say that in my
opinion her generosity was a great factor in the degeneration of the T.S.
Until then, those who worked for the Society were inspired by a spirit of
self-sacrifice Ä they worked for love but with the advent of Miss Dodge's
fortune a new spirit crept in. The wildest schemes were financed by her and
salaries were given to all who worked at headquarters. When, later, another
recent convert to Theosophy, who was also an ardent Socialist, insisted on
trade union rates of wages being paid to all workers, there began a scramble
among Theosophists for lucrative jobs. This is not intended in any way as a
slur on Miss Dodge, but merely as an example of how money can corrupt a
spiritual organization."

MKR Comments:

It should be worth remembering that when in the early days of TS, the money
was tight. It was in those days, much of the monumental work was
accomplised. It was all done with the help of deidicated workers who worked
in the spirit of self-sacrifice and I do not think any of them were even
*re-imbursed* for out of pocket expenses.

My 2 cents worth.

Any comments.

MKR