Dogma and Ritual of High Magism.—By Eliphas Lévi, translated by a fellow of the Theosophical Society, is now in hand for publication as soon as may be convenient. It will be issued in two volumes, about 600 pages, and put at as low a price as possible, $5.00. The Path has taken charge of the issuing of the book, and will receive subscriptions for it. All the illustrations in the French edition will be reproduced.
A Fallen Idol.—By F. Anstey. This is a novel devoted to a plot in which Theosophy, Chelas, astral bodies, currents, and what not, figure on every page. It tells of the power and wanderings, the evil deeds and influence of a strong bad man’s shell, attached to an eastern idol. There is a German Chela included, and also a fraudulent message.
Theosophical Activities.
The American Theosophical Council.—In the July Theosophist, it was announced that the General Council had resolved to organize the American Branches upon a better and more permanent basis, than previously existed, and that instructions to postpone the Board of Control meeting had been sent.
The formal orders have arrived, and are in brief, that all the Branches here are to be formed into the American Council, which is to be the Western Section of the General Council, but subordinate to it, whereupon the Board of Control goes out of existence; all Branch presidents and the present members of the Board of Control are to be ex-officio members of this Council which the orders direct to be formed on call of the Board of Control as soon as possible after receipt of advices. Other members of the Council, to be selected from the whole body of American Theosophists, may be elected, and the Council is to meet in time to forward reports to the regular Council at Adyar in December.
This action is eminently wise, as the term Board of Control was misleading, inasmuch as the very foundation of the Society is democratic in its nature, and control savored to much of form, ceremonies, discipline, officers, secret reports and all the paraphernalia of an established church.
In all other respects the routine is unchanged by the orders. With 14 Branches and others contemplated, these great United States ought to stand in fair way of being soon theosophized.