Julian Johnson 101

Author: David Christopher Lane
Publisher: Alt.religion.eckankar
Publication date: 19995

E-mail David Christopher Lane directly at dlane@weber.ucsd.edu

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Julian Johnson 101

Julian Johnson has written a number of books. Below is a listing of the ones that he did in India:

With a Great Master in India (1934), which consists of a series of letters that he wrote to his friends in America. By the way, Twitchell has extensively plagiarized from this book (there goes the astral plane excuse, unless of course Johnson has to ascend to the Golden Temple every time he writes a postcard to somebody--sorry dear, let me leave my body before we go to the post office).

Call of the East, which is Johnson's autobiography (1000 copies were printed). It details his early life and how he came to the path under Sawan Singh

The Unquenchable Flame, which is Johnson's book about his wife Elizabeth Bruce (who he married in India, and who was a one-time follower of Anand Swarup of Dayal Bagh)

Introduction, partial translation work, and editing of the first Beas version of Shiv Dayal Singh Sar Bachan (Prose) in English. Twitchell has stated in print on two separate occasions that this book was "his Bible."

More Light on the Path. An unpublished manuscript, which was not finished due to Johnson's accidental death (murder? Having talked with Johnson's friends--yes, there are still some alive--it was an a tragic accident and nothing more. Read Johnson's widow's account for fuller details if you wish to know more). I have read this manuscript and it is more or less a commentary on Shiv Dayal Singh's Hidayatnama.

The Path of the Masters. 1939. Johnson's book was published in France first with 200 copies (nicely bound, fine Bible paper, etc.). Then after the war an imprint was made and then circulated. In the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, etc., new editions (some were revised to remove typos, word choice, etc.) were printed in India.

If you have read Johnson's earlier books you would recognize his style; you would also recognize why he wrote the books that he did. The Sawan Service League is simply an imprint of Radhasoami Satsang Beas.

I find it ironic that some want to talk about astral plane libraries at one end; then turn around and try to figure out if the book is really copyrighted and protected by law. Radhasoami Beas has not sued primarily because that is not how they like to do things (they sell their books at cost). Eckankar has a different style.

I have received permission to put the new plagiarism study on the Net. It is about Twitchell's plagiarism of Johnson--particularly his personal letters published in With a Great Master in India. I did not do the study. Rather it was done by a different researcher. It is 50 pages and only touches the surface. More to come.....

E-mail The Neural Surfer directly at dlane@weber.ucsd.edu

I want to go back to the home base now.