Extracted by Robert Hutwohl[1]
Mr. Albert E. S. Smythe: Dear Sir and Colleague! I want to express to you my thanks for sending me The Lamp, and to say that I have been very much delighted with the contents of that number (8). I sent you a copy of my Lotusbluthen, but do not know whether it will be of any use to you as it is written in German.
Perhaps it may interest you how “Theosophical Society” matters are standing in this country. My only object has always been to uphold the principle of freedom and tolerance, guaranteed by the constitution of the T. S , and to oppose the efforts of ambitious “leaders,” who tried to obtain the power of a pope in the T.S. and thus turn it into a sect. I never had any objection to the formation of sectarian bodies within the Society, for any member or body of members has the right to obey and follow whomsoever they please; but the T. S. as a whole ought to be a common ground where all, irrespective of their beliefs in this or that authority may meet and work together.
It is, however, in our sectarian age exceedingly difficult to make many people comprehend such a liberal view. We have here in Germany (as about everywhere) two orthodox bodies; each one calling itself the only real and genuine theosophical society, and claiming that the other is only an inferior competitive enterprise. If you do not follow this one, you will never be patronised by the “Masters” nor recognised as a theosophist. You have departed from the right path and going straightway to black magic. If you do not follow the other party, you will be left in utter darkness, and no progress will be possible for you until the next cycle, which begins in I don’t know bow many thousands of years. Each of these societies prohibits its members to visit the others on account of their “bad magnetism,” and the danger of becoming converted. The consequence of this quarrel, which makes the whole movement ridiculous in the eyes of the public, is, that no one who is not more or less of a crank, will join either of these Societies, notwithstanding the great offers of personal advantages to be attained therein, held out to them.
Under these circumstances we have instituted the Theosophical Society in Germany and Austria, which is a “brotherhood of theosophical societies,” regardless as to what flag this or that party has sworn. The T. S. in G. has no official guru, no president and no organization and does not want any. It does not receive any person or member ; its members consist not of single persons but of societies.
This plan seems to work very well. Let everyone who is earnestly interested in the search for truth gather round himself his friends and acquaintance, such as share his aspirations, and when he has formed a small circle or society, no matter by what name he may call it, they will be admitted as a society to enter that brotherhood of societies, called the T. S. in Germany.
The natural centre of that brotherhood of societies is that society which proves the most attractive to the rest, or the most active, numerous or intelligent. Thus in Germany the head centre of the T. S. in Germany is at Leipzig, A. Weber, president of the T. S. in Leipzig ; and the head centre in Austria is at Vienna, L. Last, president of the Vienna T. S. In this way a chance is given to all liberal minded and tolerant members to co-operate with all other theosophical societies, without being forced to leave their own favourite school, church, leader or sect.
Perhaps these hints may be useful to you or to our friends in Canada and the United States. Yours very sincerely,
F. Hartmann
P. S.—My address after November 20th will be Dr. F. Hartmann, Villa Mercedes, Bello Sguardo, Florence, Italy.
Torbole, Lago di Gardo, Nov. 1, ’99.
Note:
[1] As Others See Us. A Symposium. I. By Franz Hartmann. The Lamp 3, no. 34 (December 1899), 167-168 [Extracted by Robert Hutwohl, 2025.