On February 22, 1896, in celebration of Sri Ramakrishna's birthday, Swamiji's New York students sent a telegram to the Swamis at Alambazar Math. Although the telegram itself is no longer extant, its message was no doubt one of reverence and salutation and told (an American newspaper reported) of the rapid progress of the Hindu religion here. Swami Ramakrishnananda replied:
(To the Students of Swami Vivekananda)_x000d_
_x000d_
Baranagore Alambazar Matt_x000d_
26-2-96 _x000d_
_x000d_
My dear friends_x000d_
Your telegram of the 22nd inst. duly reached us just at the time when we were engaged in giving a parting feast to one of our brothers Swami Saradananda, who was on the point of starting for Eng. as desired by the leader of the present unique movement tending to bring about the brotherhood of the whole human race, who is now amongst you instilling his broad & universal doctrine of "assimilation but no destruction", "harmony & peace & no dissension." That the sudden & unexpected appearance of a news redolent with the ambrosia of love & affection increased hundredfold the solemnity & unmixed joy that reigned in our Monastery at that time is too apparent to be mentioned. It reached us at a time when our hearts were filled with a love that had for its field of action nothing short of the entire expanse of this world of ours & everything that is in it. Your salutatory note therefore served to animate with fresh vigour the already animated feeling of universal love stirred within us on the occasion._x000d_
Swami Saradananda started for Eng. to take his quarters with Mr. Sturdy in the str. Rewa of BISN line & to help Swami Vivekananda in his stupendous labours consequent upon propagating his gospel of love & charity. This new Swami, if it be the desire of his leader at a future date to transfer him to your quarters, is sure to gain your hearts in no time, not of course by those dazzling faculties which especially mark out Vivekananda as a power among nations, but by his sweet & amiable character, diffusing peace & love wherever he goes. In him you will find a man who is void of all the vanities of the world. He is sure to carry out the onerous duty laid upon him with great credit. [Swami Vivekananda's] indefatigable energy, the immense moral power that can easily surmount the gloomy & unfriendly environments, the keen intellect that can pen¬etrate the deepest veil of what to others appears as mystic &. altogether uncomprehensible, a heart which is the storehouse of love & affection for his fellowmen, a sweet voice & an expressive & amiable countenance, which are the fit agents to bring forth the sweet sentiments hidden under the bosom, all these contribute to make the great revivalist of this highly advanced age, Swami Vivekananda, a fit agent of the Deity whose direct hand is his principal, nay his only stay, in a troublous sea of insincerity & private interests. That he has taken & upheld the cause of Truth, that his heart flows with the sincerest love for his fellowmen, that his extraordinary power, coupled with the divine grace is a sure sign of his ultimate success, are facts which none but the most blinded of bigots can deny. This auspicious telegram is a seal of our mutual love, by this India & America are joined together with the indissoluble tie of love, heart embracing heart. They are no longer two different entities, ocean may separate their physical selves, but essentially they have now become one. May the Lord, Who first breathed this idea of universal toleration in the heart of Bhagavan Sri Ramakrishna, & Who is now proclaiming this noble idea throughout the length & breadth of the world thro' Vivekananda, the fit disciple of a great & unparalleled master, keep us united thro' eternity._x000d_
Wishing to hear from you, our other selves of America, every now & then as to the success of our noble cause, in the name of all our brothers here,_x000d_
I remain yours ever with love _x000d_
Ramakrishnananda._x000d_
_x000d_
P.S. The Sanyasin disciple of the Swami [Kripananda] sends very interesting letters to the Brahmavadin. We cannot ade¬quately thank him for them. We look with eagerness in every fresh issue of the paper for the letter of K. We would be very glad if he (K) condescend to communicate with us directly._x000d_
_x000d_
Yours &c _x000d_
R.
Swami Ramakrishnananda's letter arrived in New York in the last days of April, and on May 1, Mr. Leggett wrote to Mrs. Bull: "The letter from India in answer to the Cable was simply beautiful. I have not the original but prize the copy which Mr. Goodwin furnished, very highly. I believe Miss Phillips has the original but think either you or I should possess it. Two days later, a number of the New York students sent the following letter to the Swamis in India:
19, West 38th Street _x000d_
May 3rd, 1896_x000d_
_x000d_
Dear Friends and Brothers,Swami Ramakrishnananda's letter to us, your American brothers and sisters, received a cordial welcome._x000d_
We believe with you that a strong bond of union now exists between your land and ours, established by the Swami Vivekananda._x000d_
The grand truths of the Vedanta, as presented by him, interested thinking minds of all classes, and met with a ready acceptance by In any of those, who had the privilege of hearing them._x000d_
The Swami Vivekananda sailed for England on the I5th of April. In his farewell address to his friends and pupils in New York, he spoke highly of the Americans, and the freedom of their institutions, which made them peculiarly accessible to the Vedanta Philosophy._x000d_
We did not realize until now, that the Hindus, so distant and so ancient, held so much wisdom and knowledge in trust for us, the youngest among nations._x000d_
With loving greetings, and the hope that we may frequently have the pleasure of hearing from you._x000d_
Your brothers and sisters in America,_x000d_
(Sd.) MARY PHILLIPS, S. ELLEN WALDO, WALTER GOODYEAR, FRANCES B. GOODYEAR, ETHEL E. HOWE, L. L. WIGHT, MARIE B. SMITH, SWAMI ABHAYANANDA, EDlTH SWANANDER, RUTH ELLIS, FLOUNCE D'A LE VINSEN, MAUDE R. LE VINSEN, CARL LE VINSEN, SWAMI JOGANANDA, HENRY J. VAN HAAGEN, J. E. SUITLERLIN, ELIZABETH ANNE WYMAN, DR. JOHN C. WYMAN, ANNlE A. HAINES, EDMOND L. (EDWARD G. P] DAY, M.D., MARY H. DAY, and many more._x000d_
"K" is not now in this city._x000d_
Neither Mr. Leggett nor Mrs. Bull, it may be noted, were included among tile above signatories. Nor did they succeed at once in obtaining Swami Ramakrishnananda's original letter from Miss Phillips. In November of 1896 she seems still to have laid it. In writing to Mrs. Bull on November 14 of the success of Miss Waldo's first lecture (see chapter fourteen, section two), Miss Phillips commented: "It (the occasion of the talk] was the first suitable opportunity to read the letter from Ramakrishnananda `To the Students of the Swami Vivekananda' which had come since the letter reached me and all seemed greatly interested in it, requesting printed copies.
According to an unidentified American newspaper, Miss Phillips had almost immediately on its receipt shown Swami Ramakrisnananda's letter to the Press. With pardonable though belated defensiveness she had assured a reporter: "'This letter shows with what reverence our Swami Vivekananda is held in India. It refutes effectually all of the hints that his religious enemies have tried to spread broadcast, that he was not the real representative of the Hindu monks to this country.