The Society Upon the Himalay
(Theosophically Adapted From Bret Harte.)
I reside at Table Mountain, and my name is Truthful James;
I am not fond of pious frauds or Oriental games;
And I’ll tell in simple language, as well as I can say,
What broke up our Society upon the Himalay.
But first I would remark that there must needs be painful scenes
When Theosophic gents begin to give each other Beans;
And though Mahatma missives do pan out a little queer,
We should avoid disturbances in the Mahatmosphere.2
Now nothing could be nicer or more full of harmony
Than the first few months that followed the decease of “H.P.B.”;
Till Judge of Calaveras produced a curious set
Of missives in red pencil what he said were from Tibet.3
From these he reconstructed a Mahatma (very rare),
A Nest of that peculiar kind pertaining to a Mare;
But Mrs. Besant found a rival missive on the shelf,4
And said she fancied Mr. Judge had written his himself.5
Then Judge’s smile took on a most unpleasant sort of curve;
He said he would not trespass so on Mrs. B.’s preserve.
He was a most resourceful man, that quiet Mr. Judge;
He got another missive saying Mrs. B.’s was fudge.6
Now, it is not edifying for a Theosophic priest
To call another one a fraud—to all intents, at least;
Nor should the individual who happens to be meant
Reply by throwing things about to any great extent.
Then Olcott, H., of Adyar, raised a point of order, when
A chunk of old red pencil took him in the abdomen;7
And he smiled a kind of sickly smile and curled up on the floor,
And the subsequent proceedings interested him no more.8
For, in less time than I write it, all the meeting got upset
With “precipitating” missiles which did not come from Tibet;
And the things they called each other in their anger were a sin—
Till the public got disgusted, and the temple roof caved in.
And this is all I have to say of these improper games,
For I live at Table Mountain and my name is Truthful James;
And I’ve told in simple language all I know about the fray
That broke up our Society upon the Himalay.
F. E. G.
Notes
2. “Any action in these controversial matters tends to set up a perfect whirlwind on other planes.”—Mrs. Besant in Lucifer.
3. “Mahatma Morya affects red pencil, Koot Hoomi blue.”—“Isis Very Much Unveiled.”
4. “She wrote... it was Master’s wish... that Master ordered her to do as she did.”—Mr. Judge’s circular to the E.S.T.
5. “I now know that they were written by Mr. Judge.”—Mrs. Besant, “Report of an Enquiry,” &c.
6. “Under Master’s direction, I declare Mrs. Besant’s headship at an end.”—Mr. Judge’s circular to the E.S.T.
7. “Isis,” Chapters IX., X.
8. “I declare, as my opinion, that this Enquiry must go no farther.”—Colonel Olcott, “Report of an Enquiry,” &c.