Describes "Star in the East"

Jan Boissevan says
Krishnamurti is Leader of the Order

The Camp of the Order of the Star in the East, at Ommen Holland, where more than 2000 Theosophists spent part of the summer listening to the lectures of Dr Besant, its founder, and Jeddu Krishnamurti, is described in an article written for THE NEW YORK TIMES by Jan Boissevain, one of the few non-believers in Theosophy who were allowed to enter the grounds at the meeting which ended on July 29 last.

According to Mr. Boissevain, the camp is a modern tent city with canteens, field hospital, offices, kitchens and most impressive of all, a huge campfire amphitheater. It is established on the grounds of Castle Eerde, near Ommen in Eastern Holland, the grounds being donated by Baron Philip van Pallandt, a disciple of the order and also leader of Boy Scouts.

The headquarters of the order, where the the meetings of the council are held, is in the castle and the tent city is about two miles away. Describing one of the meetings of the Theosophist pilgrims, Mr. Boissevain said:
"There were 2000 listeners in the big lecture tent and Dr. Besant was seated next to her pupil, Krishnamurti, facing the radio microphone on the platform. She is small, noticeably bent and dressed in creamy white. A beautiful shock of very lovely bobbed white hair, a round soft face and gray strong eyes behind glasses that seem to make her pupils very small.

"Krishnamurti sits next to her; his gypsy complexion has a tired hue over it. The head is extremely handsome; eyes velvety and sincere under eyebrows that curve downward on the temples. He looks nervous, but the poise with which he leans back in his long brown hands with bony joints and tapering fingers look cool."

Mrs. Besant said that no taking of Krishnamurti's body by the World Teacher must be expected at present, or even during his visit through the United States, as no human body or mentality could stand such a strain all at once.

"Only by a gradual process could this occupancy be accomplished," Mrs. Besant said. "We with knowledge saw that at Adyar last December that his body was occupied by the Great One during a few moments and all those present noticed how his voice suddenly changed and how he spoke in the first person where up to this moment he had been referring to the World Teacher.

"We knowing ones then knew that the process had begun. This process will continue until occupancy becomes permanent. Ever since that day I find a marked change in Krishnamurti. Where he used to by shy and speak with difficulty he now speaks with authority in his voice.

"These visits of the World Teacher to Krishnamurti's body have occurred several times during the last six month, but never in public. Even when the World Teacher comes permanently, it will be hardly perceptible to the uninitiated.

"The message we intend to give to America is to convince by the proof I can give of the World Teacher's imminent coming. I know it because the World Ruler has told me so. I don't expect outsiders to believe this; all I ask of the Americans is to hear our case, which is based on historical, geological, ethnological and psychological proofs. Those Americans who believe with us should prepare for the Teacher's coming."

According to Mr. Boissevain, the Order of the Star in the East ia a brotherhood, a fellowship of faith, founded at Benares, India, in 1910, and based on the common belief of many members of the Theosophical Society that the World Teacher's coming was near. Krishnamurti is the natural head of the brotherhood.

Krishnamurti's views on his visit to this country were described by Mr. Boissevain, who quoted the young Hindu as follows:
"I like Americans because they are friendly to foreigners. At least they never say 'he is a foreigner, therefore throw him out.' It is my thought that America will lead. She leads in industrial matters now. Maybe in twenty-five years she will have found out; she will say 'I have had enough'. She will then look around to see what else there is. She will look for spiritual things, for emotions on a higher plane. "You see America has learned to use material luxuries which are important to the body. In India they have passed through that stage. There they value inner things, negating materialistic matters. But it is important to go through the stage of emphasizing materialism in order to perfect the body which is but a vehicle for the spirit. You have done that in America; soon you will be able to embrace the higher values.