Pilgrim, The.
1911--1912? Monthly
Varanasi/Benares, India (?). Editor: Lilian Edger (Margaret Lilian Forrence Edger), co-editor.
1/1, 1911.

This is a rather unique Theosophical journal, published without any indication of its place of origin, publisher, or editors and contributors. All articles are pseudonymous and the only indication of provenance is a note signed by Lilian Edger as co-editor. From internal evidence, the journal was the short-lived organ of the Independent Theosophical League that was founded by Theosophists who wanted to remain loyal to the Theosophical Society but were unable to accept the the decision of the General Council of the Society in December 1908 that there was no reason why C.W. Leadbeater should not be permitted to rejoin the Society. Originally it was proposed that the recusants might form a separate section within the Society while still maintaining their membership but when this idea fell through they formed the Independent Theosophical League. The leading figures in the dissident movement were Upendra Nath Basu, Bertram Keightley, B.K. Lahiri, Ishari Prasad, Rajendra Lal Mukerji, and Lilian Edger. Edger (1862-1941), the co-editor of the journal, was a native of New Zealand who joined the Society in 1891 and became a leading lecturer on Theosophy. Her series of lectures at the annual Conventions were published as the popular Elements of Theosophy in 1903. She was a true scholar (the first woman in New Zealand to earn a Master's degree) and went on in her 40 years in India to become the principal of the Girls' College at the Central Hindu College. The journal seems to have been one of those sincere and selfless efforts by believers to explicate the truths of Theosophy. Although Leadbeater was the cause of the journal's existence, the journal eschewed controversy over the matter and mentions Leadbeater only for his claim to bring the new teachings awaited by Theosophists -- a claim with "little or no value." The journal has been completely ignored both by libraries and by historians.

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