José Xifré was one of the first promoters of theosophy in Spain and when Blavatsky died he gave the following speech.
H.P.B.
(Read at the Convention of the
European Section of the Theosophical Society by the Spanish delegate.)
The Foundress of the Theosophical
Society; the Initiate in Divine Wisdom; the noble woman, who with incomparable
self-sacrifice and courage, gave up her position, her fortune, her comfort, and
even her country, in her love for humanity, for the sake of spreading the
Eternal Truth – is dead. The Theosophical Society, which sorrows over this irreparable
loss, has just received a terrible blow, and it is not within my power to measure,
at present, the consequences entailed by the death of its Teacher on the
Society.
My desire is more modest. I wish
only to speak of the links which united me to H.P.B., and of the mighty
influence which her high-soled individuality exercised upon me, on my method of
thought, of feeling, and also on my views of moral, intellectual and material
things – in fact on my whole life. I regret indeed being obliged to write from
such a personal standpoint, but I think that, perhaps, an analysis of my
present moral condition may be useful and analogous to that of many of my
brothers here present, who like myself were honored by the personal
acquaintance of H.P.B.
It will have, at any rate, one great
advantage: that is, my words and experiences are based on personal knowledge,
and not on hearsay, and when we are considering moral and even spiritual
questions, there is, I think, only one sure criterion – personal experience. In
the remarkable article published on the 15th June, in the Review of Reviews, Mr. A. P. Sinnett well says: “She dominated
every situation in which she was placed, and she had to be either greatly loved
or greatly hated by those she came in contact with. She could never be an
object of indifference.”
Now in my opinion this statement is
very correct, and I have no doubt that my brothers here present will agree with
me.
When first I came to London with the
sole aim of meeting and knowing H.P.B., whose gifts had made a profound
impression on me, I realized that I was going to make the acquaintance of the
most remarkable person of this age: remarkable alike for the depth of her
knowledge and for her vast wisdom. It was no mere curiosity, but a feeling of
all-powerful attraction which drew me to her, a feeling sui generis, which can only be explained on an occult basis. The reality
was beyond my utmost expectation; I felt that the glance of H.P.B. had
penetrated and destroyed the personality that I had been up to that moment: a
process, new, strange, inexplicable, but most real, effectual and undeniable,
was accomplished in the innermost recess of my moral and spiritual nature.
The transformation took place, and
from that moment the old personality, with its ideas, tendencies, and
prejudices more or less ingrained, disappeared. I shall not try to explain this
seemingly startling fact, which like all others is based on the great law of
Karma; but never will it be erased from my memory. Every time I saw H.P.B., my
affection, loyalty and admiration for her increased. To her I owe all that I
know, for both mental tranquility and moral equilibrium were attained on making
her acquaintance. She gave me hope for the future; she inspired me with her own
noble and devoted principles, and transformed my everyday existence by holding
up a high ideal of life for attainment; the ideal being the chief object of the
Theosophical Society, i.e., to work
for the good and well being of humanity.
Her death was a bitter grief to me,
as to all those who are working for the common cause, Theosophy, and who having
known her personally, have contracted a debt of undying gratitude towards her.
I have lost my Friend and Teacher,
who purified my life, who gave me back my faith in Humanity, and in her
admirable example of courage, self-sacrifice, and disinterestedness, and
virtue, I shall find the strength and courage necessary for working for that
cause which we are all bound to defend.
May her memory be blessed!
These, dear brethren and friends,
are the few words which I wished to say to you, greatly desiring to declare
before you all that I shall never forget what I owe to H.P. Blavatsky.
Let enemies and materialists
explain, if they can, the power and attraction of H.P.B., and if they cannot,
let them be silent.
The tree will be known by its
fruits, as actions will be judged and valued by their results.
(Translated from the Spanish.)
(This article was first published in Lucifer magazine, August 1891 p.455-456; and later in the book HPB: in memory of Helena Petrovna
Blavatsky,
1891, p.93-94)
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