Theos-Talk Archives (January 2007 Message tt00240)

Last year, while preparing a presentation on Ralph Waldo Emerson, I 
noticed that The unnamed authors and or editors of Theosophy Magazine 
silently edited some of the quotations from Emerson. Here is one example 
from


THEOSOPHY, Vol. 24, No. 2, December, 1935
(Pages 49-54; Size: 17K)
(Number 3 of a 7-part series)

*PRECURSORS OF H.P.B.*

*THE** THREE** FUNDAMENTAL** CONCEPTS OF*
*EMERSON'S** PHILOSOPHY* 

see: http://www.wisdomworld.org/setting/emersontwo.html 

In para 6, Emerson is quoted as saying,


    "Of that ineffable Essence which we call Spirit, he that thinks most
    will say least. When we try to describe it, both language and
    thought desert us. That Essence refuses to be recorded. Language
    cannot paint it with colors. It is too subtle. It is undefinable,
    unmeasurable, but we know that it pervades and contains us."


The above quotation from Emerson is actually the mixing of words from 
two different Emerson works.  The first part is from Emerson's essay on 
Nature, Ch7 (Spirit).  The second part (beginning with the word 
'Language') is from The Over-Soul.  The Theosophy Magazine quote is 
filled with silent deletion and even word substitution.   Below I have 
reconstructed the quote to display the silently deleted material.



"Of that ineffable Essence which we call Spirit, he that thinks 
most*[,]* will say least*. [We can foresee God in the coarse, and, as it 
were, distant phenomena of matter; but] *When we try to describe 
it*[himself]*, both language and thought desert us *[and we are as 
helpless as fools and savages.].* That Essence refuses to be recorded* 
[in propositions, but when man has worshipped him intellectually, the 
noblest ministry of nature is to stand as the apparition of God]*. 
Language cannot paint it with *[his]* colors. It is too subtle. It is 
undefinable, unmeasurable, but we know that it pervades and contains us." 

There are other examples of silent editing in this Theosophy Magazine 
document.  I wonder if anyone here could speak to this issue as far as 
telling us what the policy of the Theosophy Magazine is regarding the 
silent deletion of material deemed irrelevant?  John, do you know? Is 
the silent deletion of material deemed irrelevant by the authors/editors 
grounds for questioning the honesty and reliability of Theosophy 
Magazine? As I understand it, Theosophy Magazine is published by The 
Theosophy Company.  Shall we infer from these silent deletions (for 
which, btw, there are no warning to the reader that I could find) that 
the Theosophy Company itself is of questionable honesty and 
reliability?  I certainly don't and I hope no one else does.


--bill





carlosaveline wrote:
>
> Friends,
>
> The theosophical movement has a number of "organic" websites. They are 
> either part of the Adyar Movement, or the ULT, or Pasadena TS, or some 
> small independent group or individual, and so on.
>
> But all of them have something in common, which Caldwell's and Green's 
> websites can't offer: honesty and reliability. You can know where they 
> stand.
> One of the great websites we have, and reliable, is Wisdom World. It 
> is slander-free, it does not attack HPB or Judge, it gives you Theosophy.
>
> Take a look, clicking at
>
> http://www.wisdomworld.org <http://www.wisdomworld.org>
>
> Regards, Carlos.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]