From the E.S.T. circular of 1891 issued after H.P.
Blavatsky's death----

The E.S.T. Council wrote:

"In virtue of our appointment by H.P.B.
we declare:

"That in full accord with the known wishes
of H.P.B. the visible Head of the School,
we primarily record and declare that the
work of the School ought and shall be continued
and carried on along the lines laid down by
her, and with the matter left in writing or
dictated by her before her departure...

"That her words to Bro. Judge in a recent
letter were read stating that this Section
(now School) is the "throbbing heart of the
Theosophical Society."

"That it was resolved and recorded that the
highest officials in the School for the
present are Annie Besant and William Q. Judge....

"That having read the address drawn up
by Annie Besant and William Q. Judge, we
put on record our full accord with it.

"That this Council records its decision that
its appointment was solely for the purpose of
assisting H.P.B. in a consultative way, and
that as she had full power and authority to
relieve us from duty at any time, our office
and that of each of us ends with the above
resolution passed in order as far as possible in our power to place
the future conduct of the School on the basis directed and intended
by her; therefore we collectively and individually declare that our
office as Councillors ceases at this date, and that from henceforth
with Annie Besant and William Q. Judge rest the full charge and
management of this School."

In the same circular was the address to the members of the E.S.T.,
signed by BOTH Mr. Judge and Mrs. Besant:

"... it is our duty, as the two selected by H.P.B. as her agents and
representatives after her departure, to specially speak to each one
of you respecting the duty laid on the School by her retirement from
the visible control of its affairs. The future of this body depends
on the way in which this test of steadfastness and loyalty is endured
by the members collectively and individually....

"Consider the position of the School: we are no longer a band of
students taught by a visible Teacher; we are a band of students
mutually interdependent, forced to rely on each other for our
usefulness and our progress, until our very brotherliness in mutual
help shall draw a visible Teacher back among us. H.P.B. remains one
of our Heads though H.P. Blavatsky is 'dead,' and the Heads of the
School have not withdrawn Their guidance in withdrawing the presence
chosen to represent Them for a time on which we have rejoiced to
lean. . . .

"We who write to you claim over you no authority save such as she
delegated to us. We are your fellow students, chosen by her - the
Messenger of the Masters of Wisdom - as Their channels to the measure
of our ability, during this period of darkness....

For the use of all of us, there are written teachings left by H.P.B.
in our hands that will give food for study and thought for many a
year to come, and though the main duty of the Esotericist is service
to others, and not personal advancement in knowledge, it is
characteristic of her thought for us that behind her she left
intellectual and spiritual food for the earnest student, as well as
the charge to complete her unfinished work."

Daniel
http://blavatskystudycenter.org