Theosophy: friendship, inquiry, and the work of discernment

With the Theosophist group, show the utmost love and kindness and associate with them. Behave well and show love and kindness, for they have capacity. In their gatherings speak with perfect spirituality, love, unity and oneness, and make them soar until they are moved to joy and gladness and become happy and delighted. When I am present, I will certainly speak in their gatherings.

Convey my respectful greetings to the Theosophical Society and tell them that you have truly rendered service to the unity of the human world, for you have no ignorant prejudices and desire the unity of humanity.

Furthermore, some of the Theosophists and members of the Esperanto Society attended the gathering and listened to the Divine Word with the utmost sincerity and submissiveness.

To the theosophists be kind and considerate. They are readier to receive this Truth than many other sects.

I was most pleased to present myself in your midst and speak with you; a meeting which believes in the spiritual power; a power which is super-natural and super-intellectual. Therefore I hope that this Theosophical Society may become helped and its members gain victory over the pillars of the world of nature who are the materialists of this age.

Give my most friendly greetings to all the Theosophists. You have risen to help humanity because you are freeing yourselves from superstition and you are casting ignorance far from your minds. You wish the welfare of mankind, and this object is a mighty one.

Certainly go to Theosophical gatherings and give talks in those meetings. The confirmations of the Holy Spirit will reach you.

Any of them that align with Theosophy, if you translate and publish them, there would be no harm.

There is a theosophist society in India that formed an assembly in the year 1875 in Tibet, and they believe themselves to possess knowledge of the soul, and their philosophy is that of Pantheism. Associate with that community, and with the utmost joy convey to them the most great tidings.

Many of the Theosophists have said that it was necessary for people to return again and again in order to attain to perfection. But there is no spiritual benefit in mere length of time. Those who receive the Holy Spirit can instantly become perfect. Take for an illustration, the olive trees which exist for thousands of years, yet, they have not by this duration of time attained to the life and development of the animal kingdom. Whereas, a small insect existing for a few days or hours belongs to it.

The Theosophists are educating a boy in the schools of Europe and say that he will become the promised one of all nations. How ignorant this is! God must select the Promised One, not men.

The lamp that men ignite will be put out; but the Lamp of God is ever bright. He who is educated by men is always dependent on men. How can he give eternal prosperity!

It is as if a person wishes to make a sun out of oil and wick.

In spite of all their [the Theosophists'] awareness, and notwithstanding their quest for peace - knowing as they do that a Perfect Man is needed in this perspicuous age - most of them are ignorant of this Cause and the momentousness of the advent of Baha'u'llah, which is more manifest than the sun itself.

Rather, they expect that a young Indian [Krishnamurti], who at present is being groomed in Europe, will be the source of such a prodigious cause.

The Theosophists at least have motion. They are free from ancestral prejudices. They have stepped forward, but their marching must be centralized. It is something like this. There is a "divine city" to be attained. There are some who have never left their homes. Others have stepped forth from their homes, but have not stepped toward that city.

You must be exceedingly kind to the Theosophists. When you meet them, tell them that they are freed from blind dogmas, they are investigating the Reality, that they are very near to the Baha'i Cause. From time to time the believers of Stuttgart must come to Wien and give addresses on the Revelation.

As for the Theosophical Society, shouldst thou attend their gatherings and speak of the oneness of humanity; of the contents of the Divine Tablets; of the spirituality born of heaven; and of equality, concord, love, and harmony among the children of men; and consort with them with the utmost attraction, this will doubtless be beneficial.

Thou hast written that in a house of a Theosophist thou prepared a feast of joy and a féte of gladness. This Society is ready for hearing the Word of God. Treat them with the utmost love, kindness, unity and oneness, so that the attractive power of the Word of God may draw them to the Sun of Reality.

The point was then presented as to whether all men would eventually progress to the same stages of perfection. 'Abdu'l-Baha said that this is a matter of Divine Will. That although the Theosophists dwelt upon Karma and ultimate perfection, this was not to be expected, as degrees of existence must always be presented.

Their leader came to meet in Boston. He had written a detailed book with illustrations, then he became a believer. Now he has written works. I said to him, "Were you not satisfied with this journey, that you should wish to come again?" He said, "I suffered much hardship this time, the second time will be better!"

… I said, "Let me tell you," then he did not conceal it and said that the Theosophists have two things that people really like: one is the matter of reincarnation, saying you do not perish but simply remove one garment and put on another, and the other is being immersed in the ethereal realm with no return.