Jan Nicolaas Kind -- Brazil 

Once in a while  there seems to surface an urge to “modify” the wording of our Three Objects. So, in order to determine if such a alteration makes any sense, let’s go over them:

These are the  objects as officially adopted by the TS Adyar in 1896:

1. To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.

2. To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science.

3. To investigate unexplained laws of Nature and the powers latent in man.

Jan Nicolaas Kind – Brazil

Thought – One

I vividly remember how my dear mother, in the early 1950’s when I was a child of 5 or 6, would hold and firmly squeeze my hand while walking across busy streets with traffic in the centre of Amsterdam. It was that sort of feeling you get as a child, that your mum wants to take care of you in a potentially dangerous situation. The squeezing I had instinctively taken for granted, but there was one particular street near the Royal Palace and Dam square, called the Raadhuisstraat (English: Town Hall street) where, if we went across there, the squeezing increased to an almost intolerable level. A few years later, I must have been around 7 or 8 years old, and after I had repeatedly asked my mother why the squeezing on that particular street always seemed to increase, she took the time – and had the courage – to tell me why.

Boris de Zirkoff – USA

Unique photo of the author while visiting the Cathedral (Il Duome) of Milan-Italy, accompanied by Axel von Fielitz-Coniar, a former General Secretary of the Adyar TS in Germany. Photo taken on May 26, 1959. (special thanks to Kenneth Small)

[Note from the editor. Theosophy Forward regularly publishes articles written by Boris de Zirkoff. The author is primarily known in theosophical circles as the compiler and editor of the Collected Writings which is to be considered to be his “life’s work” Compiling H.P.B.’s work undoubtedly was a phenomenal achievement, but there was so much more de Zirkoff should be recognized for. He was an outstanding speaker, travelled to and lectured in various countries, he wrote a number of books and edited his own magazine Theosophia from 1944 until his death in 1981. Your editor finds that this part of his legacy is surprisingly current and apt still, taken the fact that it was written decades ago.  The article below is based upon a tape recording of a private talk given by Boris de Zirkoff. It was initially transcribed on June 30, 1973, by Eldon Tucker, then later edited for publication].

For more on Boris de Zirkoff follow this link: https://theosophy.wiki/en/Boris_de_Zirkoff  

Wesley Amerman – USA

'Theosophists,' either individually or as members of the various Theosophical Societies, have a long history to live down. No one living today, of course, had anything to do with the problems of the early twentieth century, when our predecessors chased after 'Ascended Masters' and made gurus out of brilliant but fallible men and women. However, we are still in danger of repeating the mistakes of the past and of failing to learn from them.