97. Henry Steel Olcott

H.S. Olcott, the President-Founder of the Theosophical Society, died on February 17, 1907. For nearly 32 years he was able to devote his extraordinary foresight, his great administrative gifts and his noble, dedicated spirit to this society, which he co-founded with H.P. Blavatsky in 1875. It was founded in November of that year in New York, but the headquarters of the society was soon moved to India.

If this society was to come into being at all, it was only thanks to the union of two such personalities as Olcott and Blavatsky. With the help of the latter's extraordinary talent for processing secret scientific truths, such teachings could be spread more widely at that time. Blavatsky was able to receive such teachings, which until then had only been the strictly guarded wisdom of a few learned men, from a source about which there is no reason to speak here. And through her effective nature, she was able to make these teachings accessible to a wider circle in word and writing. If this was to be done successfully, such a circle had to be organized accordingly. This was done by founding the Theosophical Society. Success could only be expected if the enormous amount of secret knowledge, as revealed in Blavatsky's books, magazine articles and oral teachings, was really taken in and digested spiritually by receptive people. This came about through the fact that in some localities people united in so-called lodges or branches who cultivated occult science in the way that the circumstances of the place in question allowed. In Olcott, Blavatsky found just the right man to help him undertake such a project. Thanks to his unique organizing ability, he succeeded in a very short time in inspiring the founding of such Theosophical branches, as they were called, in almost all the civilized countries. The branches in one language area were then combined into a section, and Adyar, near Madras in India, gradually became the common center for the administration of the sections combined in the “Theosophical Society”. From the time of its founding until his death, the administrative soul of this whole organization was Olcott. If one considers that there are at present twelve sections, one can readily understand what Olcott has accomplished, since his part in the founding and further administration of the Society is clear from the above words.

But for a position such as Olcott held, a number of virtues are still needed, and it can truly be said that he combined these virtues in the most beautiful way in his personality. Above all, the administrative head of such a society as the Theosophical Society must have a fine sense of tact, so as not to interfere in any way with the completely free spiritual work. One can administer the Society, but one cannot administer the work of spiritual science. What is taught or practised within the Society must be left entirely to the individual personalities. The moment any teaching or dogma is incorporated into the Society as such, its mission is at an end. All genuine spiritual achievements within the Society must originate with and be left to the individual persons qualified for them. All responsibility for what is achieved must also fall to them. Their work and standing in society can depend on nothing other than the trust that individual members place in them personally. The Society as such teaches itself; it may merely prepare the ground on which personalities called to do so work in complete freedom. It is obvious that in such a society the office of president requires the finest tact, and Olcott had it in the best way. The writer of these lines may of course only speak about this side of the late president with reference to the German section. However, since he has been active as Secretary General since the founding of this section, he is well placed to praise Olcott's high presidential virtues in this particular regard based on his relevant experience. Because of this, the work of the Theosophical Society was able to develop into the completely independent movement that it has become, without any interference. No one has ever interfered with the free development of original spiritual sources; no one has expected us to accept a paralyzing template. This must be said because it characterizes Olcott's wonderful broad-mindedness and his wonderful liberal spirit. If only a good many people would allow this attitude to be an example to them, then dogma-seeking and stereotyped “orthodoxy” would never play a role in society. Especially in what he did within his restless activity, Olcott was the model of a true Theosophist. Especially for this way, one cannot say of his work, no, one must say – and that means more – of his being, he must be infinitely grateful to him who strives to set the goals of the Theosophical movement as high as possible. One would like to say that the just-discussed nature of Olcott was his own, right down to his outward appearance. That is why he won the sympathy of those with whom he came into contact, and that was many, in the twinkling of an eye. In his person, the nature of the Theosophical Society was wonderfully incarnated. The love that was shown to him by the members, and which had something of the most natural naturalness about it, reflected something that was to become most widespread in the Theosophical Society. This was evident when he chaired the Theosophical Congresses in the presence of a large number of members. It was so obvious that this man was the president, if he was there at all. This was not the only way in which it showed what he was like, but also how the others naturally had to be with him when they gave themselves over to their feelings.

Olcott lived to be 75 years old. Until the end, he fulfilled his duties with undiminished strength. This strength was his own because he drew it from firm roots in the spiritual world and because he was able to renew it from these roots again and again. Even in the brief acquaintance with him that the writer of these lines was granted, this fact could not be overlooked. The calmness, certainty and effectiveness of his work were based on this.

Not a single characteristic of Olcott's life will be given this time. An attempt will be made to do so in the next issue of this journal. Here, only what made him the excellent mediator of Blavatsky's mission to the public and what earned him the greatest thanks of the members of the Theosophical Society should be said.