Geoffrey Farthing
[The following proposal has been received from a former General Secretary of the Theosophical Society in England (Adyar), and author and lecturer. It was addressed to the Presidents of the United Lodge of Theosophists, Theosophical Society in America (Pasadena), and Theosophical Society (Adyar), and also, though not a President of any Theosophical Society, to me, probably as President of Point Loma Publications, Inc., and editor of The Eclectic Theosophist. We feel Eclectic readers will be interested in Mr. Farthing’s broad proposals, and it is hoped that the Presidents of the various Theosophical bodies will respond by sharing their constructive ideas on this subject affecting importantly the whole Movement.]
There are now a number of attempts to draw the elements of the Theosophical Movement together by way of networking, common conferences, interchange of correspondence, etc. I am making a suggestion which I hope you will put to your Governing Body that, in order to promote further the unity of the movement, any person who subscribes to any one of the larger, recognized organizations should automatically become a member of all the others if he so wishes.
In my view this would be a major factor in helping people to feel that they were members of a genuinely world-wide organization without any of the divisions which resulted in the past from personal differences or schisms for any other reason. As you will see, I am addressing this letter to all the major organizations that I know of. I had in mind originally suggesting that members of any one organization should subscribe to all the others but this I feel, whilst it might achieve some unification, would be expensive, whereas what I am now suggesting would not increase the cost to anyone. What I am proposing is virtually a very loose federation of the various, more important, elements of the Movement.
To this end it might be advisable for us all to agree on a common set of Objects and some sort of Declara tion of Intent by each subscriber. I suggest the objects of the original Society in use before H.P.B. died and a Declaration on the lines of that used by U.L.T. The organizational identity and integrity of each Society, Association, Lodge, etc., would of course be unaffected by this scheme. Magazines of any group where they are not given free could be purchased and subscribed to (literally or otherwise) by any member, and any facilities such as libraries could also be used by all members, sometimes on payment of a supplementary fee. Lodges or branch premises of any group would be open to all members, even for members’ meetings. Members in good standing with their organization could be issued with an International Membership Card.
I hope you will give this favorable consideration and communicate with me if you and/or your members are in favor. I will coordinate the replies and let you know whether or not the others agree.