Letter from C.W. Leadbeater to Annie Besant
about the Episcopal Consecration of Bishop J.I. Wedgwood.


Sydney, July 25, 1916.

 Wedgwood has arrived, and is in good health. His consecration to the Episcopate has had the unexpected result of putting him practically at the head of the Old Catholic movement as far as the British Empire is concerned, all his colleagues (except, I think, one) in it being Theosophists ready to work under his direction. This being so, he desires most earnestly to offer the movement to the World Teacher as one of the vehicles for His force, and a channel for the preparation for His Coming. I took him therefore to the Lord Maitraya at the Festival, and He was graciously pleased to accept the offer, and to say that He thought the movement would fill a niche in the scheme, and would be useful to Him. From what He said I inferred that He Himself had so guided events as to produce this curious result, that a branch of the Catholic Church, having the Apostolic Succession in a form which cannot be questioned, should be entirely in the hands of Theosophists, who are willing and eager to do exactly as He wishes. He explained that this was a method of bringing over the Holy Orders of the old plan into the new one, and that this Old Catholic Church might very likely be the only branch of Christianity which would wholly and officially recognize and follow Him when He comes. He does not wish it to be aggressive in any way, but to go on quite quietly for the present, carrying on its services for its small congregation in London (as it is doing), gradually drawing round it those who love the Catholic ritual, but want a Theosophical interpretation of it and of the doctrine of the Church. It will slowly spread, but will be ready to receive a sudden impetus when He wants to use it; it is to mark time now, but to be prepared to march forward when the order come. With His permission Wedgwood has consecrated me  as a Bishop, on the understanding that I am at perfect liberty to wear my ordinary dress, and am in no way bound to perform any ecclesiastical ceremonies or take any outward part in the work unless I see it useful to do so, but am to act as intermediary between the Lord and this branch of His Church, referring to Him any points of action or of doctrine upon which it desires instruction.

An interesting little glimpse of occult ways came to me the night after my consecration. My own Master referred very kindly to it, and spoke of the additional power to help that it had given to me; and the He remarked: "You thought you had given up all prospect of a bishopric when you left your Church work thirty-two years ago to follow Upâsikâ [H.P. Blavatsky]; but I may tell you that it would have been in this very year that you would have reached it if you had remained in your original work, so you have lost nothing except the emoluments and the social position, and have gained enormously in other ways. No one ever loses by serving Us!". That struck me as curious, for I had never thought of it in that way.