their failure as much as to warn others against rushing heedlessly upon
a similar fate, that the writing of the present article has been
ordered. The candidates in question, though plainly warned against it
in advance, began wrong by selfishly looking to the future and losing
sight of the past. They forgot that they had done nothing to deserve
the rare honour of selection, nothing which warranted their expecting
such a privilege; that they could boast of none of the above enumerated
merits. As men of the selfish, sensual world, whether married or
single, merchants, civilian or military employees, or members of the
learned professions, they had been to a school most calculated to
assimilate them to the animal nature, least so to develop their
spiritual potentialities. Yet each and all had vanity enough to suppose
that their case would be made an exception to the law of countless
centuries, as though, indeed, in their person had been born to the world
a new Avatar! All expected to have hidden things taught, extraordinary
powers given them, because--well, because they had joined the
Theosophical Society. Some had sincerely resolved to amend their lives,
and give up their evil courses: we must do them that justice, at all
events.

All were refused at first, Col. Olcott the President himself, to begin
with: and he was not formally accepted as a Chela until he had proved
by more than a year's devoted labours and by a determination which
brooked no denial, that he might safely be tested. Then from all sides
came complaints--from Hindus, who ought to have known better, as well as
from Europeans who, of course, were not in a condition to know anything
at all about the rules. The cry was that unless at least a few
Theosophists were given the chance to try, the Society could not endure.
Every other noble and unselfish feature of our programme was ignored--a
man's duty to his neighbour, to his country, his duty to help,