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The Mahatmas and Their Instruments.

Madame Blavatsky and the Masters. -

Mahatma Portraits and Their Painter.

By L. C. L.[Laura C. Holloway]

[Reprinted fromThe Word(New York), July 1912, pp. 200-206.

!rom old note "ook# d$ted o%er $ &u$rter of $ 'entury $o $re t$ken te followin e*tr$'t# fromletter# written "y te +$$tm$# . ., $nd +. to %$riou# 'el$# of te eo#opi'$l /o'iety.

/ome of tem $re t$ken from letter# $lre$dy m$de pu"li', oter# $re from per#on$l letter# $ndnote# re'ei%ed durin te /prin $nd /ummer of te ye$r 1.

e "ook referred to in #ome of te e*tr$'t# i%en "elow i# +$n3 !r$ment# of !orotten

i#tory, ten in 'our#e of prep$r$tion.

!rom . .

You w$nt $ definition, 4ild, of /pirit.Inflowing forcewill define it $# well $# $ny oter term.

!rom . .

5y mu#t you "e #o f$int-e$rted in te perform$n'e of your duty !riend#ip, per#on$l feelin#$nd r$titude $re no dou"t no"le feelin#, "ut duty $lone le$d# to te de%elopment you #o 'r$%e

for. ry to #ow tem te trut for te l$#t time. 7 de#ire you to o to -----3 7 de#ire you to '$ne

m$neti#m# $# little $# you '$n.

!rom . .

e fee"le effort# of $ life $re 'ontempti"le indeed wen 'omp$red to te re#ult# of $n eternity ($

word of wi' you $rdly $%e $ 'on'eption) $nd te #um tot$l of $ll $'tion# i# of no $''ount

'omp$red to te future. 8ut #$ll you, "e'$u#e you $%e ti# future, in wi' to $'t $nd to 're$te,

refu#e to o forw$rd now i%ided n$ture - e#it$te "efore $'tin.

e "ook i# $ pro:e't undert$ken3 wy not 'omplete it 7t# e*i#ten'e will depend upon you for

you $lone '$n 're$te it, $nd te m$teri$l# $re in no oter $nd#. 8ut #ould you refu#e to o on -

do not de'ei%e your#elf wit te f$l#e ide$ t$t you $re un$"le to do w$t you $%e done.

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7f #e $# not le$rnt yet te fund$ment$l prin'iple in o''ulti#m t$t e%ery idle word i# re'orded

$# well $# one full of e$rne#t me$nin, #e out to "e told $# mu', "efore "ein $llowed to t$ke

one #tep furter. 7 will not tell you er future3 nor #ould you try to #ee. You know it i# $$in#tte rule#.

;nyow you mu#t not reret te tree mont# lo#t, your $nd our own effort#, $nd +?# timew$#ted in te '$#e, if it $ll end# in $ f$ilure. You will $%e elp3 te only #ufferer will "e er#elf.

7 reret it deeply. 7 would if 7 'ould de%elop ti# ri'ly ifted n$ture, &uiet $nd #oote in te"o#om of te etern$l rut te #en#iti%e #oul e%er #ufferin from #elf infli'ted wound#. 7 '$n do

notin, if #e doe# not elp me "y elpin er#elf. ry to m$ke er re$li@e t$t in o''ulti#m we

'$n neiter o "$'k nor #top. $t $n $"y## open# "eind e%ery #tep t$ken forw$rd. 8e kind $ndentle wit er, w$te%er $ppen#. /e #uffer#, $nd p$tien'e w$# ne%er $ word for er. /e

would "e m$de $ reul$r 4el$ "efore #e #owed er#elf fit e%en for $ pro"$tion$ry '$ndid$te.

7 $m not $ 'el$, #e keep# on #$yin - inor$nt of $%in pleded er#elf $# oneun'on#'iou#ly $nd wen out of te "ody.

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m$de tem#el%e# helplessweter in >urope or 4in$. 7 will 'orre#pond wit you tro? er, "ut

not unle## you keep to your#elf f$itfully te #e'ret. You m$y #ow te letter# "ut ne%er re%e$l

te w$y tey 'ome to you. You will $%e to plede your#elf #olemnly to t$t effe't "efore 7"ein. 8le##in# on you, 4ild, $nd keep off #ell#.

The Portraits of the Mahatmas

;# $d "een promi#ed "y te +$$tm$#, +r. /'mie'en, $ youn Ferm$n $rti#t ten re#idin

in Bondon, w$# to p$int teir portr$it#. ;nd, $t te $ppointed time, $ num"er of eo#opi#t#

$tered $t i# #tudio. 4ief $mon +r. /'mie'en?# ue#t# $t t$t fir#t #ittin w$# . =. 8.wo o''upied $ #e$t f$'in $ pl$tform on wi' w$# i# e$#el. Ne$r im on te pl$tform #$t

#e%er$l per#on#, $ll of tem women, wit one e*'eption. ;"out te room were rouped $ num"er

of well-known people, $ll e&u$lly intere#ted in te $ttempt to "e m$de "y +r. /'mie'en. emo#t 'le$rly defined memory of t$t $terin, $lw$y# in te mind of te writer, i# te pi'ture of

+$d$me 8l$%$t#ky pl$'idly #mokin 'i$rette# in er e$#y '$ir $nd two women on te pl$tformwo were #mokin $l#o. /e $d ordered one of te#e women to m$ke $ 'i$rette $nd #moke it,$nd te order w$# o"eyed tou wit re$t e#it$tion, for it w$# $ fir#t $ttempt $nd e%en te

mild >ypti$n to"$''o u#ed w$# e*pe'ted to produ'e n$u#e$. . =. 8. promi#ed t$t no #u'

re#ult would follow, $nd en'our$ed "y +r#. /innett, wo w$# $l#o #mokin, te 'i$rette w$#lited. e re#ult w$# $ 'uriou# &uietin of ner%e#, $nd, #oon $ll intere#t w$# lo#t in te roup of

people $"out te room, $nd only te e$#el $nd te $nd of te $rti#t $"#or"ed er $ttention.

/tr$ne to rel$te t$t tou te $m$teur #moker 'on#idered er#elf $n onlooker it w$# er %oi'e

wi' uttered te word "einner, $nd te $rti#t &ui'kly "e$n outlinin $ e$d. /oon te eye#of e%eryone pre#ent were upon im $# e worked wit e*treme r$pidity. 5ile &uiet reined in

te #tudio $nd $ll were e$erly intere#ted in +r. /'mie'en?# work, te $m$teur #moker on tepl$tform #$w te fiure of $ m$n outline it#elf "e#ide te e$#el $nd, wile te $rti#t wit e$d

"ent o%er i# work 'ontinued i# outlinin, it #tood "y im witout $ #in or motion. /e le$nedo%er to er friend $nd wi#peredG 7t i# te +$#ter . .3 e i# "ein #ket'ed. e i# #t$ndin

ne$r +r. /'mie'en.

e#'ri"e i# look# $nd dre##, '$lled out . =. 8. ;nd wile to#e in te room were wonderino%er +$d$me 8l$%$t#ky?# e*'l$m$tion, te wom$n $ddre##ed #$idG e i# $"out +oini?#

eit3 #lit of "uild3 wonderful f$'e full of lit $nd $nim$tion3 flowin 'urly "l$'k $ir, o%er

wi' i# worn $ #oft '$p. e i# $ #ympony in rey# $nd "lue#. i# dre## i# t$t of $ indu -

tou it i# f$r finer $nd ri'er t$n $ny 7 $%e e%er #een "efore - $nd tere i# fur trimmin $"out

i# 'o#tume. 7t i# i# pi'ture t$t i# "ein m$de, $nd e im#elf i# uidin te work.

+oini, wom $ll pre#ent re$rded wit lo%e $nd re#pe't $# te ifted di#'iple of te re%ered

+$#ter#, $d "een w$lkin #lowly to $nd fro wit i# $nd# "eind im, $nd #eemed $"#or"ed in

tout. !ew noti'ed i# mo%ement#, for e w$# $t te "$'k p$rt of te l$re $p$rtment $nd i#foot#tep# were noi#ele##. 8ut te $m$teur #moker $d followed i# mo%ement# wit e$rne#t

l$n'e#, for #e w$# notin $ #imil$rity of form "etween te p#y'i' fiure of te +$#ter $nd

im#elf, $nd, $# well, $ #trikin re#em"l$n'e in teir m$nner.

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ow like te +$#ter +oini i#, #e 'onfided to er friend "e#ide er3 $nd, lookin tow$rd im

#e #$w im w$t'in er wit $n e*pre##ion of mu' 'on'ern on i# f$'e. /milin "$'k $n

$##ur$n'e to im t$t #e would m$ke no furter re%el$tion#, #e l$n'ed tow$rd te $rti#t $nd'$ut te eye# of te +$#ter, wo #tood "e#ide im. e look w$# one #e ne%er forot, for it

'on%eyed to er mind te 'on%i'tion t$t er di#'o%ery w$# $ enuine f$'t, $nd en'efort #e

felt :u#tified in "elie%in te +$$tm$ . . $nd +oini te 'el$, were more 'lo#ely rel$tedt$n #e $d "efore re$li@ed. 7n f$'t, t$t +oini w$# ne$rer te +$#ter t$n $ll oter# in te

room, not e%en e*'eptin . =. 8. ;nd, no #ooner w$# ti# 'on%i'tion "orn in er mind t$n #e

en'ountered $ #wift l$n'e of re'onition from te #$dow form "e#ide te e$#el, te fir#t $ndonly one e $%e to $nyone durin te lon #ittin. . =. 8.?# e$%y %oi'e $ro#e to $dmoni# te

$rti#t, one of er rem$rk# rem$inin di#tin'tly in memory. 7t w$# ti#G 8e '$reful, /'mie'en3

do not m$ke te f$'e too round3 lenten te outline, $nd t$ke note of te lon di#t$n'e "etween

te no#e $nd te e$r#. /e #$t wereshe could not see the easel, nor know what was on it.

;ll wo $re f$mili$r wit te 'opie# of te two portr$it# of te +$#ter# p$inted "y ti# $rti#t, will

re'$ll te look of yout t$t i# upon te f$'e of ... 7t i# $ look not of youtfulne##, "ut of

yout it#elf3 not of youtful ine*perien'e $nd l$'k of ye$r#, "ut of life - full $nd $"oundin lifet$t i# e%er youn, $nd of #elf-'ontrol #o re$t $# to 'ontrol not only e*pre##ion, "ut ner%e# $nd

mu#'le# $# well. r$n#p$rent #eeminly $# w$# i# "ody, yet powerful "eyond te 'on'eption of

to#e wo $%e not #een on te $#tr$l pl$ne, w$# te ment$l $nd #piritu$l #trent of m$n. ;

"ein in wom w$# fulfilled e%ery ide$l men $%e 'on'ei%ed of - m$nood lorified. ; fini#edprodu't in f$'t, upon wom te pri%ilee of re#tin one?# #it w$# $n ine*pre##i"le delit. No

re$l likene## of #u' $ 8ein 'ould e%er "e t$kenG 'ould e%er "e more t$n $ #$dowy outline of

te Re$l +$n.

ow m$ny of te num"er of to#e in te #tudio on t$t fir#t o''$#ion re'oni@ed te +$#ter?#pre#en'e w$# not known. ere were p#y'i'# in te room, #e%er$l of tem, $nd te $rti#t, +r.

/'mie'en, w$# $ p#y'i', or e 'ould not $%e worked out #o #u''e##fully te pi'ture t$t w$#outlined "y im on t$t e%entful d$y.

e p$intin of te portr$it of te +$#ter H+I followed te 'ompletion of te pi'ture3 "ot were

$ppro%ed "y .=. 8., $nd te two p$intin# "e'$me 'ele"r$ted $mon eo#opi#t# te world

o%er. ey $re $ #our'e of in#pir$tion to to#e wo $%e $d opportunity to #tudy te wonderful

power $nd e*pre##ion depi'ted in tem "y +r. /'mie'en.

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Portrait of Master Koot HoomiPainted by Hermann Schmiechen in London in July 1884

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Portrait of Master Morya

Painted by Hermann Schmiechen in London in June - July 1884