To the Members of the Berlin Branch

Today, the name H. P. Blavatsky unites the thoughts of all theosophists around the world. However, only a few people today know what the spiritual progress owes to the founder of our movement. And even these few know it only partially. For the profound wisdoms contained in The Secret Doctrine reveal themselves to man only slowly and gradually. Whenever one has advanced a little further on the path that loses itself at dizzying heights for every human eye, one discovers new secrets in this book, for which one could not have had the right understanding before. And so HPB is one of those individuals for whom the degree of veneration becomes higher and higher with one's own development. One must have experience in such an increase of esteem for her if one wants to gain the right point of view towards HPB. One must learn to honor her in the right way.

In the beginning, one may still ask about the outward details of her life in order to gain a relationship with her. But there comes a point when all outward appearances fade away in the face of the realization of the immeasurably significant spiritual mission of HPB and her great task within the present spiritual movement. Those who then really perceive something of this spiritual mission will, from the knowledge gained, understand how they should relate to our great pioneer. He also learns to understand that a person who has such a mission must necessarily first accept misunderstanding and even defamation. These are among the sacrifices he must make in life. HPB's work took place at a time when materialistic thinking and attitudes were expanding tremendously. Science, life, everything seemed to supply the building blocks for materialism to erect a gigantic structure. The personality who in such a time brought humanity a renewed awareness of the truth of a spiritual world had to be complex. One has to consider that it depends not only on the truth as it should be handed down to people, but also on the people themselves. It was infinitely difficult to convey the truth to a materialistic way of thinking and attitude in such a way that it could be understood. How HPB had to act was dictated by the measure of understanding that the time could bring her. When a hammer strikes an object, what happens depends not only on the hammer. Glass shatters and lead is beaten into a thin plate. When the great spirit gives great gifts, it must pour its gifts into the vessels that are held out to it by the recipients. – In HPB's case, people will gradually learn to distinguish only between the outer form and the inner value of her great gifts. – It was precisely the spirit of the time in which she had to fulfill her mission that made it so infinitely difficult. The fact that she took on this mission at all testifies to the insight of the size of the personality; but it also testifies to how great the willingness of this personality was to make the sacrifices associated with the mission.

Much has been objected to, namely by the learned or those who want to be learned, regarding the authenticity, etc., of HPB's achievements. It has been doubted that she really did receive her revelations from the source she indicated. But does it depend on that? Isn't it more important to understand the work and recognize its inner value? How many would have to say, with proper study, that they can learn things from the source of HPB's writings that could not be revealed to them from anywhere else. In any case, she is the mediator. Is it wise to receive truths from the hand of a person that deal with the highest things, and then to find fault with the credibility of the same person in much lesser things? Nothing could make HPB more of a miracle than if the objections raised against her were in any way justified. Just imagine the conclusion that would have to be drawn under such circumstances. Suppose someone doubts the “authenticity” of the Dzyan verses. This has been done, and many still do it. So that ancient source HPB refers to does not even exist. All right; let's assume that this is the case, just for the sake of argument. One can argue about the authenticity; but to argue about the truth is absurd. Because everyone can convince themselves of the truth if they take the right paths. Those who do so will recognize more and more of the deepest truths in these verses. Indeed, the matter stands in such a way that with each advance in one's own knowledge one is actually more convinced of the abysmal depth of it, and it becomes ever clearer what one must still leave to one's own guesswork even with advanced understanding. What does the accusation mean in comparison: HPB invented the Dzyan stanzas? The strangest thing would have to happen: this woman finds the deepest truths and invents a foolish fairy tale about their origin. Now the conclusion is so impossible that it can only be a testament to the illogicality of HPB's opponents, but it cannot be taken seriously by someone who truly understands.

The accusers of this personality must gradually see their entire edifice collapse if they have acquired an understanding, even to a moderate degree, of her spiritual power and the nature of her mission. And gradually the image of the woman will emerge from the ruins of accusations, misunderstandings, etc., a woman who placed her abilities at a significant turning point in the service of a movement whose value will not be recognized except by those who have not yet acquired an understanding of it.

But we Theosophists will always celebrate Lotus Day, as the day of remembrance of the moment when HPB left the physical plane, as a day of celebration, and as a day of love and gratitude to the foundress of our movement. Among those of us who understand, HPB is not an authority in the popular sense, because she does not need such authority. But the right and true authority that is due to her will be provided by the recognition of her work. A sense of authority is only to be demanded where it is not voluntarily given. We appreciate and love HPB because we would be untrue to the truth we have recognized if we behaved differently. And we sense that this appreciation of ours will itself be an unfolding lotus flower. For the more we ourselves ascend in knowledge, the larger and more widespread will be the petals of the flower. But for this ascent HPB's work is again the ladder that holds us. Therefore gratitude must be the echo that flows from our hearts when the Lotus Day is a living symbol of our growing knowledge.