IX. Compilations and Collected Editions (1897-1932)

[TPS indicates Theosophical Publishing Society: London; Benares (now Varanasi), India; and/or New York. TPH indicates Theosophical Publishing House (sometimes listed as Theosophist Office): Adyar, Madras (now Chennai), India. Other publishers as noted.]

1895-1900. Theosophical Essays. TPS. [Collections of pamphlets bound together, with different selections and orders, and some overlap between the years. Two versions, one shorter, bound in blue, with published 1895 title page and table of contents, containing 11 pamphlets (including some published after 1895, as follows: 1) Introduction to Theosophy; 2) Theosophy and Its Teachings; 3) A Rough Outline of Theosophy; 4) The Sphinx of Theosophy; 5) In Defence of Theosophy; 6) Theosophy in Questions and Answers; 7) Theosophy and Christianity; 8) The Meaning and the Use of Pain; 9) Devotion; 10) Why You Should Be a Theosophist; 11) A Short Glossary of Theosophical Terms (with Herbert Burrows). The second version is longer, bound in half-leather, with no title page and a tipped in hand-typed table of contents, and varying contents, including pamphlets published up to 1900. My copy, with pamphlets dating from 1891-1900, published in London, New York, and Benares, India, contains the following: 1) An Introduction to Theosophy; 2) A Rough Outline of Theosophy; 3) The Sphinx of Theosophy; 4) In Defence of Theosophy; 5) Theosophy and Its Teachings; 6) Theosophy and Its Evidences; 7) Theosophy in Questions and Answers; 8) The Use of Evil; 9) The Meaning and the Use of Pain; 10) Vegetarianism in the Light of Theosophy; 11) The Pilgrimage of the Soul; 12) Materialism Undermined by Science; 13) The Place of Politics in the Life of a Nation; 14) The Masters As Facts and Ideals; 15) Devotion and the Spiritual Life; 16) The Place of Peace; 17) On Some Difficulties of the Spiritual Life; 18) Why You Should Be a Theosophist; 19) What Theosophy Is; 20) An Epitome of Theosophy (by Alexander Fullerton); 21) Theosophy and Its Practical Application; 22) Man's Place and Functions in Nature; 23) The Aura (by Charles W. Leadbeater); 24) The Theosophical Society and H.P.B; 25) A Short Glossary of Theosophical Terms (with Herbert Burrows); 26) 1875 to 1891: A Fragment of Autobiography.]

1897 A Few Helpful Thoughts, Chosen by a Christian, from the Writings of Annie Besant. TPS.

1898. Lectures. TPS. [Collections of pamphlets bound together, with different selections and orders. The copy at the Seattle Theosophical Society Library contains the following: 1) Esoteric Christianity: The Hidden Side of Religions; 2) Esoteric Christianity: The Trinity; Divine Incarnation; 3) Esoteric Christianity: The Atonement and the Law of Sacrifice; 4) Esoteric Christianity: Sacraments and Revelation; 5) Esoteric Christianity: Natural and Spiritual Bodies; Resurrection and Ascension; 6) The Masters as facts and Ideals; 7) Theosophy and Its Evidences; 8) The Theosophical Society and H.P.B (three articles); 9) Why I Became a Theosophist; 10) The Place of Politics in the Life of a Nation; 11) Materialism Undermined by Science; 12) The Pilgrimage of the Soul; 13) The Use of Evil; 14) Eastern Castes and Western Classes; 15) Vegetarianism in the Light of Theosophy; 16) The Influence of Alcohol; 17) 1875-1891: A Fragment of Autobiography. The first five items are the pamphlet version of 1898 Esoteric Christianity.]

1902 Morning Thoughts for the Year, Adapted by a Student from the Writings of Annie Besant. TPS.

1906 The Path to the Masters of Wisdom. [Extracts, mostly from Besant’s writings.] TPS.

1909 Godward Ho! Compiled from the Writings of Annie Besant and Herbert Spencer by N. K. Ramaswami Aiyer. Tanjore, India: Self-published.

1911 Day by Day Book: For Beginners in Theosophy. Compiled by Mary T. Dunbar from The Path of Discipleship and In the Outer Court. An Aid in the Study of the “Divine Properties” as Given in the “Bhagavad-Gita.” NP.

1911 Essays and Addresses, vol. 1: Psychology. TPS. [Link is to 2nd ed. of 1919.]

1912 Essays and Addresses, vol. 2: The Spiritual Life. TPS. [Reissued in slightly abridged form by Quest Books in 1992.]

1912 To Members of the Theosophical Society: Being a Selection of Instructive Articles and Teachings. Theosophist Office. [Selection of writings by Blavatsky, Besant, and Leadbeater. The following material is by AB: 1) Why Become Members?; 2) Address for the Admission of Members to the Theosophical Society; 3) The Theosophic Life; 4) A Lodge of the Theosophical Society; 5) The Spread of Theosophy; 6) Freedom of Thought; 7) The Seal of the Society.]

1913 Essays and Addresses, vol. 3: Evolution and Occultism. TPS.

1913 Essays and Addresses, vol. 4: India. TPS.

1915 The Law of Rebirth: From the Writings of Annie Besant. Three Great Truths Series, no. 1. 1) The Law of Rebirth; 2) The Ladder of Life; 3) Human Inequalities; 4) The Memory of Past Lives; 5) Growth and Splendour without Limits; 6) Great Thinkers and Reincarnation; 7) Reincarnation and the Bible; 8) What Determines Sex; 9) Proofs of Reincarnation; 10) The Great Plan. TPS.

1915 Truth the Second: The Garment of God: From the Writings of Annie Besant. Three Great Truths Series, no. 2. 1) God; 2) The Manifestation of God in Nature; 3) The Manifestation of God in the Kingdoms; 4) The Manifestation of God in the Unseen; 5) The Manifestation of God in Man; 6) The Manifestation of God in the Christ. TPS.

1915 Truth the Third: "Whatsoever a Man Soweth, that Shall He Also Reap." Three Great Truths Series, no. 3. 1) What Is Karma?; 2) What Is a Law of Nature?; 3) When Did Karma Begin? 4) Reward and Punishment; 5) How Far Does the Law of Karma Limit Us?; 6) Thought Makes Character; 7) Desire Makes Opportunity; 8) Action Makes Circumstances; 9) Exertion is Greater than Destiny; 10) Right Desire; 11) How to Face Life; 12) Are We Bound or Free?; 13) How Does a Bad Man Become Good?; 14) The One Necessity. TPS.

1915 War Articles and Notes. From Commonweal, New India, and Theosophist. TPS.

1916 There Is No Religion Higher than the Truth: Presented to Members on Admission to the American Section Theosophical Society. Los Angeles: From Headquarters. [Selection of writings by Blavatsky, Olcott, Besant, and Leadbeater. Includes the following material by AB: 1) Address for the  Admission of Members of the Theosophical Society; 2) The Meaning of the Theosophical Society (from 1913 Theosophy and the Theosophical Society); 3) Why Become Members? (excerpt); 4) Method of Study (from 1912 Theosophy).]

1917 The Coming of the World-Teacher and Death, War and Evolution: A Book of Extracts from Lectures and Writings by C. W. Leadbeater and in Parts by Annie Besant and Others. Compiled by Mary Elanor Rocke. London: George, Allen, and Unwin. [Part I: The Coming of the World-Teacher: 1) The Teacher of Angels and Men; 2) The Mystery of the World-Teacher; 3) Why a Great World-Teacher?; 4) When Will He Come?; 5) Who this World-Teacher Really Is; 6) The Method of His Appearing; 7) Will One Know Him When He Comes?; 8) Will His Own Churches Receive Him?; 9) The Task of Preparation; 10) Opposition; 11) The World-Saviour; 12) What Is the Coming?; 13) The Ideal of the Soul; 14) What Will He Teach?; 15) Periodical Appearance of Saviours; 16) Some Prophecies and Indications; 17) The Effect of His Actual Physical Presence. Part II: Death, War, and Evolution: 1) Those Killed in the Great War; 2) The “Dead” Have Not Left Us; 3) Purgatory and Heaven; 4) The War as Part of the World Preparation; 5) The History of Man’s Evolution; 6) The Method of Man’s Evolution; 7) Children of the New Sub-Race. Part III: How These Things Are Known: 1) How These Things Are Known; 2) The Way to Seership; 3) Intuition. Part IV: The Star in the East: 1) The Order of the Star in the East; 2) The Symbolism of the Star.]

1918 Occultism of the Mass and the Old Catholic Church Movement. A collection of Essays from Writings and Documents by C. W. Leadbeater, J. I. Wedgwood, Annie Besant and Others. TPH.

1922 Daily Meditations on the Path and Its Qualifications. Compiled by E. G. Cooper. TPH.

1924 Evolution and Man’s Destiny. Compiled by Olive Stevenson-Howell from lectures and other writings.  1) The Great Plan; 2) Reincarnation; 3) The Occult Hierarchy and the Work of the Manu; 4) The New Race Type and the Power of Thought; 5) The Coming of the World Teacher; 6) The Emergence of a World Religion; 7) East and West and the World Federation of Nations; 8) The Masters and the Way to Them.  London: Theosophical Society in England.

1926 The Expected World Teacher. Compiled by H. Twelvetrees from addresses and writings by Annie Besant and others. Rochester, NY: Stanhope Press.

1927 Theodore Besterman. The Annie Besant Calendar. TPH.

1927 Theodore Besterman. The Mind of Annie Besant. 1) Education; 2) Crime and Punishment; 3) Four Social and Humanitarian Problems (The Protection of Animals, Vivisection, Vegetarianism, The Influence of Alcohol); 4) The Status of Women; 5) Socialism; 6) India; 7) Race and Nationality; 8) Theosophy. TPH.

1928 Do We Life on Earth Again? Extracts from writings by Annie Besant, edited by George S. Arundale. Reincarnation Series. London: Theosophical Society in England.

1928 Reincarnation and National Destiny. Extracts from writings by Annie Besant, edited by C. Jinarajadasa. Reincarnation Series. London: Theosophical Society in England.

1932 Theosophy: A Manual. TPH. [Two articles, "Theosophy," from Theosophist (November-December 1931) and "Reincarnation," from Spectator 1927. Editor C. Jinarajadasa believed that "Theosophy" had not appeared in print before publication in Theosophist, having found the manuscript in old files. In actuality, it was originally published in 1921 Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. 12 (entry entitled "Theosophical Society"). Perhaps because of continuing confusion about the source of this material, the fourth edition of Theosophy: A Manual was published in 1952 at the same time as The Truth through Theosophy, which was made up of the original 1921 encyclopedia article without the Spectator article on Reincarnation. The latter version was then rereleased in 1984 as Theosophy and the Theosophical Society (not to be confused with the 1913 book of International Convention lectures of the same title) and again in 2002 as The Theosophical Society and the Universal Wisdom Tradition. See Posthumous Publications (1934-2006).]