Originally CWL04.TXT

THE LEADBEATER "CIPHER LETTER"

Authentic copy from the original, written by C. W. Leadbeater to one of his pupils about 1906, with explanatory letter from the boy's mother. The cipher letter was typewritten on paper identified by colour and watermark as that used by him in other communications, and was received as an enclosure with another letter.

The "Cipher Letter"

PRIVATE

My own darling boy, there is no need for you to write anything in cipher, for no one but I ever sees your letters. But it is better for me to write in cipher about some of the most important matters; can you always read it easily? Can you describe any of the forms in rose-colour which you have seen entering your room? Are they human beings or nature spirits? The throwing of water is unusual in such a case, though I have had it done to me at a spiritualistic seance. Were you actually wet when you awoke, or was it only in sleep that you felt the water? Either is possible, but they would represent different types of phenomena. All these preliminary experiences are interesting, and I wish we were nearer together to talk about them.

Turning to other matters, I am glad to hear of the rapid growth, and the strength of the results. Twice a week is permissible, but you will soon discover what brings the best effect. *The meaning of the sign [Circle with dot in center] is osauisu. Spontaneous manifestations are undesirable, and should be discouraged. Eg ou dinat xeuiiou iamq, ia oaaet socceoh nisa iguao. Cou oiu uii iguao, is ia xemm oiu dina xamm. Eiat uiuu iuqqao xiao zio usa utmaaq; tell me fully. Hmue taotuueio et ti qmautuou. Uiiotuoo lettat eusmeoh. (The following paragraph is the boy's translation of the paragraph written in cipher - beginning with the. first *)

The meaning of the sign [Circle with dot in center] is urethra. Spontaneous manifestations are undesirable and should be discouraged. If it comes without help, he needs rubbing more often, but not too often or he will not come well. Does that happen when you are asleep? Tell me fully. Glad sensation is so pleasant. Thousand kisses darling.

Key to the cipher.

Cipher a b c d e f g h i j k l m

Translation e a b c d,i e f g h,o i j k l

Cipher n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Translation m n,u o p q r s a,t u v w x y

Letter from the Boy's Mother

May - 1906.

Dear ...........

Your request was duly received asking for a statement from our son as to whether he had approached Mr L. ... for aid, or whether Mr L. ... had approached him, but owing to my feeling that there was no necessary haste, and to some pressing home conditions, it has been delayed until now and I trust the delay has caused no complications.

At the present moment I believe it right to place in the hands of the Investigating Committee such evidence as we have pertaining to a sad difficulty. Our only desire is that a full, fair setting forth of all points in the matter be made.

We have the deepest appreciation of Mr L'S kindness to the boy and ourselves in many ways, and whatever may come from us, we wish to avoid any semblance of pre-judging. What conclusions I have arrived at are based on the facts at hand.

My husband will send some statements later, setting forth his view of the situation as now presented to him.

Our son's statement clearly shows that Mr L. ... opened the subject.

After having fully discussed the matter with both his father and me, he has given the key to the cipher in which certain information was given to him by Mr L. ... in "private" notes placed in letters. Our son was so disinclined to relate what Mr L. ... had taught him, that for a time we felt we were asking him to disregard his honor. However, we arrived at the firm conviction that Mr L. ... had no moral right to give him instruction and then bind him by word or attitude to secresy.

No minor can join the T. S. without the consent of parent or guardian. How much less then has any one, teacher though he be, the right to give a teaching that he knows is not generally accepted, and then cause the boy to keep it away from his parents and further promote the secresy by private notes and the use of a cipher.

Mr L. . . . gave to this boy a teaching admittedly dangerous, and, at the same time, prevented the counsel and the guidance of his parents in so critical a matter by impressing the boy strongly with secresy.

Mr L. ... either considered the parents unfit counsellors or else he feared their disapproval. In either case it was an assumption of privilege. For no matter which view he held, the parents are Karmically responsible for the child, and such teaching so contrary to their sense of right would have been possibly permissible only after having consulted them and received their consent.

Neither the boy's father nor I would have permitted Mr L. ... to so instruct him. We have average intelligence; we have been devoted T. S. members since 1892 and surely would have been glad to co-operate with Mr L. ... in any measure we believed to be a useful factor in the boy's evolution.

Therefore, no matter what may be established as Mr L's motive, the fact that he ignored the rights and responsibilities of the parents deserves condemnation.

Our son left the slip of paper on the floor, from which the enclosed cipher note is copied. I also found another on the floor some time after finding the above mentioned cipher. That note was written in Mr L's hand and asked our son to keep a record of days when "experiments" were made, but this is now mislaid. It was not of so dangerous a nature as the enclosed; for in this, you will observe, Mr L. ... expresses himself as "glad the sensation is pleasant" showing that he approves of the sensuous part of the practice.

This surely was teaching the boy to throw pleasurable consciousness into the practice. Would not that make reactionary thought forms?

Mr L. ... knew from my letters to him, that I was earnestly striving to aid the boy in his moral and mental growth, and he directly, or indirectly taught the boy to keep this important phase of growth away from his parents. This was not fostering frankness, to say the least!

Mr L. ... says in his letter to Mr F., "The business of discovering and training especially hopeful younger members, and preparing them for Theosophical work has been put in my charge."

A man may have credentials which bespeak his ability to teach mathematics or to teach occultism but it is unfair to the intelligence and duty of the parents to be denied knowledge of the method.

Again and again we have been told to accept only what mind and conscience approve. Our duty is to give the child the best we know. Where can Mr L. ... find justification in carefully teaching this practice which he knew was so generally condemned, and which he took no pains to put before parents for their acquiescence?

A. B. said to me in '97, "Never make the mistake of doing evil that good may come."

Now it appears to me that this act is far more evil in its effects than what we call lust, for it warps the nature and annuls any possible good that might result. No matter how great a person has given Mr L. ... this work to do, our duty and right is to pass judgment on the methods, and since, as parents and guardians of youth in the T. S. we disapprove of them, our way is clear, and that is, to denounce such teachings.

These statements are not made in the spirit of one who is unwilling to hear all sides, but are the results of pondering on evidence at hand which comes from Mr L. ... and as facts, are irrefutable. It is an inexplicable feature in this case, that the boy was taught this method while away from his home.

There was ample opportunity for Mr L. ... to have consulted the boy's father about this when in our city, but, he did not.

I have only touched upon the parents' view, which is the fringe of a matter pregnant with other phases. Trusting that the utmost frankness and courage may prevail at all points in this investigation, I am,

Sincerely Yours,