Theosophical Correspondence.
Translation from German by Robert Hutwohl[1]
Question: — Is it useful or expedient to belong to a theosophical society in order to attain self-knowledge of the truth?
Answer: — It depends on the nature of the society you want to join. Theosophy is the self-knowledge of the truth, which everyone can only find “in himself,” i.e. in his divine self, on the path of inner spiritual resurrection or rebirth, and mere membership of a society is useless for this purpose if the spirit of love and harmony does not prevail in this society. As long as animal passions, selfishness, envy, ambition, vanity and the like rule in human nature in general, these characteristics will also be found in some societies that call themselves “theosophical.” Then externals take the place of internalization; there are the question of money, proselytizing, the desire for power, the papacy and sectarianism. The larger such an association is, the more elements will be found in it that will clash with one another and cause quarrels and disputes, which will then result in the departure of the better members. It is therefore most expedient if every person who is serious about striving for the light of truth and is suitable for it forms a circle around himself, to which like-minded people join, and these circles thus formed then work together for external purposes when the opportunity requires it. This plan has so far proved successful in Germany and Austria.
The kingdom of God (the kingdom of true self-knowledge) does not enter the heart of man with noise and shouting; only in the “silence of the night” is the God-man (Christ) born. Where two or three are united in his name (i.e. in the power of divine love and harmony), there HE (Christ, the true knowledge) is in their midst. Anyone can found such an association.
What holds a society of theosophists together is not the different views and opinions, but the correct insight and love of truth. Theosophical teachings, on the other hand, like the natural sciences, offer different fields. One is particularly interested in the scientific side, the other in the religious side. Both ultimately complement each other. The geologist does not need to be a lawyer and the mathematician does not need to be a theologian. The strength of a theosophical association does not lie in the equality of opinions, but in the agreement and harmony based on the knowledge of the unity of the essence of all creatures. In the knowledge of truth there is no longer any difference; In God all come together.
Note
[1] Theosophical Correspondence. Theosophical Associations. By Dr. Franz Hartmann. [Theosophische Korrespondenz. Theosophische Vereine. Von Dr. Franz Hartmann. Theosophische Vereine. Theosophischer Wegweiser 8, no, 5 (February 1907), 164-165] {This article was reformatted from the original, but with the content unchanged other than minor typos, translation from German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025}