ENQ. Do you mean to tell me that it is because a few have understood what Theosophy leads to, that they try to crush the movement? But if Theosophy leads only to good, surely you cannot be prepared to utter such a terrible accusation of perfidious heartlessness and treachery even against those few?
THEO. I am so prepared, on the contrary. I do not call the enemies we have had to battle with during the first nine or ten years of the Society’s existence either powerful or “dangerous”; but only those who have arisen against us in the last three or four years. And these neither speak, write nor preach against Theosophy, but work in silence and behind the backs of the foolish puppets who act as their visible _marionnettes_. Yet if _invisible_ to most of the members of our Society, they are well known to the true “Founders” and the protectors of our Society. But they must remain for certain reasons unnamed at present.
ENQ. And are they known to many of you, or to yourself alone?
THEO. I never said _I_ knew them. I may or may not know them—but I know _of them_, and this is sufficient; and _I defy them to do their worst_. They may achieve great mischief and throw confusion into our ranks, especially among the faint-hearted, and those who can judge only by appearances. _They will not crush the Society_, do what they may. Apart from these truly dangerous enemies—“dangerous,” however, only to those Theosophists who are unworthy of the name, and whose place is rather _outside_ than _within_ the T.S.—the number of our opponents is more than considerable.
ENQ. Can you name these, at least, if you will not speak of the others?
THEO. Of course I can. We have to contend against (1) the hatred of the Spiritualists, American, English, and French; (2) the constant opposition of the clergy of all denominations; (3) especially the relentless hatred and persecution of the missionaries in India; (4) this led to the famous and infamous attack on our Theosophical Society by the Society for Psychical Research, an attack which was stirred up by a regular conspiracy organized by the missionaries in India. Lastly, we must count the defection of various prominent (?) members, for reasons I have already explained, all of whom have contributed their utmost to increase the prejudice against us.