Page 7

 

Letter №8 p. 7

And here I must take my stand - as for physical matters, when where or what one eats or sucks, where or how one lives or sleeps, these are all accidentals - matters of no earthly consequence provided my health does not seriously suffer, I would as soon live on herbs & water & sleep & live in a cave or a mud hut if any good was to come of it, as in any other ways. But if it be intended that I shall ever, get instructions to do this or that and without understanding the why or the wherefore, without scrutinizing consequences, blind and heedless, straightway go and do it — then frankly the matter for me is at an end. I am no military machine. I am an avowed enemy of the military organization — friend and advocate of the industrial or co-operative system, and I will join no Society or no Body which purports to limit or control my right of private judgment. Of course I am not a doctrinaire, (!?) and do not desire to ride any principle as a hobby horse. Where a matter is immaterial, i.e. as far as my unaided judgement enables me to discern can do no harm - then if the persons who asked me to do it were persons in whose good faith & capacity I had confidence I should like Olcott be quite willing to obey & ask no questions. But if the thing was material, & either involves consequences which I could not clearly forsee, or appears to me wrong or unwise, then I should most distinctly refuse to obey unless the "hakims" were willing to explain to me the reasons for their "hukum" & make it clear to me that despite any previous doubts, it was really the right thing to do.

To return to Olcott — I do not think his connection with the proposed Society would be any evil. Sinnett thinks this I believe - I do not - given any real vital principle as a basis to the Society & nobody's connections with it could do any very permanent harm. So I quite agree in all you say about this. But when you go on to say "But if you now so dislike the idea of a purely nominal executive supervision by Col Olcott - an American of your own race - you would surely rebel against dictation from a Hindoo" you must entirely mistake my feelings at any rate.


Notes: 

Hakim is a Muslim honorific title used for a leader or ruler of an area.