Pupils puzzled by "New Messiah"

Dissolving of the "Order of the Star in the East"
by Jiddu Krishnamurti, the Indian Theosophist, Remains Unexplained

Jiddu Krishnamurti, the much discussed young Indian who has been hailed by his pupils as the "new Messiah," startled his followers a few days ago with the dramatic announcement that the "Order of the Star in the East", the mysterious organization in which are enrolled 100,000 persons who regard him as "the holy man," is to be dissolved.

Standing before the campfire meeting of the 3,000 delegates representing the society in all parts of the world and gathered for the occasion in a little tent city near Ommen, Holland, Krishnamurti calmly made the announcement of he dissolution of the order which its members have come to believe is the chosen vehicle through which the World Teacher would speak. And now the 3,000 men and women "pilgrims," who yesterday closed what appears to be their last world congress, are on their way home wondering what their leader's action means.

There is little in Krishnamurti's brief announcement to indicate an explanation for the dissolution of the Star of the East order. He does not say whether that action was inspired by the the wishes of the World Teacher, whom his followers say uses the young Indian as the medium through which to speak to this world.

"It is useless to re-establish harmony while individuals in themselves are chaotic, inharmonious and disturbed," the "new Messiah" told his followers as he declared that the order of which they so much prided themselves must disband. "The transformation of the individual must come first. Man being entirely responsible to himself creates by his own limitations barriers around him which cause sorrow and pain. In the removal of these self-imposed limitations lies glory and fulfillment of the self."

Mrs. Annie Besant, the 82-year-old international president of the Theosophical Society, who "discovered" the Hindu boy Alcyone - now Jiddu Krishnamurti - whom she adopted over the protests of the boy's father. At the time the Hindu boy was twelve years old. The next year he wrote a treatise called "At the Feet of the Master", said to have been inspired in a dream.

In 1911 Dr. Besant presented Krishnamurti as the future "vehicle". She explained that it is stated in various Scriptures that the World Teacher, the Head of all faiths and the inspirer of all religious progress, comes back into the world periodically and takes possession of the body of a highly evolved human being in order that He may, through the mouth of this disciple, re-proclaim in every successive age the essential truths of religion and morality.

Krishnamurti, Dr. Besant states, is the chosen vehicle through which the World Teacher will speak when He comes again, "just as He spoke through the body of the disciple Jesus two thousand years ago." According to the tenets of the cult of the Star, there have been in all twenty-seven vehicles for the World Teacher.

The first came to the Aryan race of Central Asia under the name of Vyasa, it is said. Next appeared in Egypt Tehuti or Toth, known later in Greece as Hermes or Mercury. Persia gave a third divine leader in Zoroaster, who "garbed the truth in fire."

Orpheus, ideal of the Greeks and Romans, and Prince Siddartha, who became the Enlightened One, were predecessors of Christ and Krishnamurti, we are told.

Krishnamurti has never attempted, by any miraculous sign to prove his alleged divinity to his followers. Thanks to the patronage of Dr. Besant, he has studied under carefully selected private tutors. He has a handsome face and leads a life of great simplicity. His diet is entirely vegetarian.

Krishnamurti's gospel for the guidance of humanity is self-discipline, good conduct and forbearance. From time to time he proclaims idealistic teachings. HE has written several treatises, regarded by his followers as holy books, in which he is purported to have revealed precepts transmitted to him by the Masters.

Krishnamurti gave what he regards as the groundwork of his entire teaching on his visit to the United States two years ago.
"I believe," he said, "that I am to be the vehicle for the World Teacher and the Spirit has already made use of my body to carry to the world a message of happiness - a happiness that is found not in the material but the spiritual plane."