The Theosophical Movement 1875 1925 Theosophy Magazine Articles 737pgs SOC

8/2/2019 The Theosophical Movement 1875 1925 Theosophy Magazine Articles 737pgs SOC

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THE THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT


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THE THEOSOPHICALMOVEMENT

I

1 8 7 5 - 1 9 2 5

A HISTORY AND A SURVEY

NEW YORKE. P . DUTTON & COMPANY681 FIFTH AVENUE


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COPYRIGHT, 1925BY E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY

Au Rights Reserved

Printed in the United States of America


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" T o a l l t r u e T h e o s o p h i s t s , i n e v e r y c o u n -

t r y a n d o f e v e r y r a c e , f o r t h e y c a l l e d i t

f o r t h , a n d f o r t h e m i t w a s r e c o r d e i "


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PREFACET h e r e e x i s t s n o w h e r e a c o l l e c t e d a n d a u t h e n t i c r e c i t a l

o f t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l M o v e m e n t o f t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y .

Y e t , a l t h o u g h a s c a n t h a l f c e n t u r y h a s e l a p s e d s i n c e t h e

foundation of The Theosophical Society at New York

C i t y , t h e w o r k t h e r e b e g u n h a s s p r e a d i n t o a l l p o r t i o n s

o f t h e c i v i l i z e d w o r l d , u n t i l t h e w o r d T h e o s o p h y i s a

f a m i l i a r t e r m t o e v e r y e d u c a t e d m i n d . T h e t e a c h i n g s

k n o w n u n d e r t h a t n a m e h a v e b e e n m o r e o r l e s s i n v e s t i -

g a t e d a n d a d o p t e d b y m i l l i o n s , w h i l e i t s m o r e e a r n e s t

s t u d e n t s w h o h a v e a c c e p t e d i t a s a c o m p l e t e a n d s a t i s -

f a c t o r y e x p l a n a t i o n o f a l l t h e p r o b l e m s o f l i f e , h e r e a n d

h e r e a f t e r , a r e n u m b e r e d b y t h o u s a n d s i n e v e r y c o u n t r y

a n d o f e v e r y r a c e .

I n a n i n d i r e c t b u t n o n e t h e l e s s p o w e r f u l m a n n e r t h e

teachings of Theosophy have profoundly affected the

i d e a s a n d i d e a l s o f t h e r a c e o n t h e g r e a t q u e s t i o n s o f

e t h i c s , o f m o r a l i t y , o f r e l i g i o n , p h i l o s o p h y a n d s c i e n c e ,

s o t h a t t o d a y i t m a y b e t r u l y s a i d t h a t t h e r e i s n o t h i n g

w o r t h y o f t h e c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f t h e h u m a n m i n d t h a t h a s

n o t b e e n l e a v e n e d b y t h e i n j e c t i o n o f T h e o s o p h i c a l l e a v e n .

I t i s n o t t o o m u c h , t h e r e f o r e , t o a f f i r m t h a t t h e d i r e c t a n d

i n d i r e c t i n f l u e n c e o f T h e o s o p h y u p o n h u m a n i t y i n t h e

c o u r s e o f a s i n g l e g e n e r a t i o n h a s b e e n g r e a t e r t h a n t h a t

o f a n y o t h e r s y s t e m e v e r p r o m u l g a t e d , d u r i n g a s m a n y

centuries as the Theosophical Movement numbers dec-

a d e s . A n d t h e M o v e m e n t c a n a s y e t s c a r c e l y b e s a i d t o

h a v e p a s s e d t h e s t a g e o f i t s g e r m i n a l i m p u l s i o n .

T h e r e c o r d o f t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l M o v e m e n t i s s c a t t e r e d

through thousands upon thousands of pages of books,

m a g a z i n e s , n e w s p a p e r s , p a m p h l e t s a n d o t h e r d o c u m e n t s .

M a n y o f t h e s e a r e e x t r e m e l y c o n t r o v e r s i a l i n c h a r a c t e r ,

m a n y i n a c c u r a t e , m a n y c o n t r a d i c t o r y a n d c o n f u s i n g . T h e

a t t e m p t t o s t u d y , d i g e s t , c o l l a t e a n d c o m p a r e t h e i m -

v i i


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v i i i PREFACEmense literature of the sub ject is a monumental u nder-

taking . T he writers hav e spent many y ears in connec-

tion with the work of the Theosophical M ovement, and

their opportunities and facilities have been greater than

most . Y et they k now only too well the impossibility of

doing anything l ike justice to the subject, or of affording

satisfactory replies to all questions of the sincere stu-

dent of its compl exities . T he very nature of the sub ject

forbids . For T heosophy, the Theosophical M o vement,

and the real and true Theosophical Society hav e, each of

them, an esoteric as wel l as an exoteric side, and the

latter can never be ful ly grasp ed and understood b ut

throug h the former .

Some of this hidden side can be touched u pon, some

documents referred to, some indications sub mitted, some

deductions offered for the consideration of the reflectiv e

mind, b ut for b y far the most important portion of the

esoteric aspect the student must rely up on his own in-

tuition : for the hidden side of Theosophy can only b e

arrived at throug h the hidden nature of the student

himself .

Still another difficul ty that confronts alike the w riters

and the sincere student is the fact that many of those

who w ere active in the lifetime of the parent Theosophi-

cal Society are still liv ing and now p rominent, b oth i n

the public eye, and as leaders and exponents of the many

conflicting theosophical and occult societies that have

sprung up in the past twenty-five years, since the death

of the original society . All these antagonistic organiza-

tions have their devoted adherents, their own particul ar

tenets and claims of pre-eminence and successorship . The

situation exactly p arallel s that of the early centuries of

Christianity . Rival pretensions to apostolic succession,

to knowledg e, to authority, and to the possession of the

keys to the teachings of the Founders confront the in-

quirer . T he danger is imminent that if a better knowl -

edge and u nderstanding of the real teachings of T he-

osophy , the real mission of the Theosophical Movement,

and the real facts in connection with the history of the

Parent Theosophical Society, are not made availabl e for


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PREFACE i xall those who may b ecome interested, the fate that has

long since ov ertaken Brahminism, Buddhism and Chris-

tianity will inevitably b efall the great Message of H . P .

Blavatsky .

For all the reasons expressed and impl ied, an acces-

sible record of the facts, as accurate a survey of their

significance and bearing on the present and on the future

as possible, is of the utmost moment to all sincere stu-

dents and to all earnest enquirers . Themselv es members

of none of the existing org anizations, b ut p rofoundly

convinced of the surpassing v alue of the noble philosophy

of Theosophy , the writers are moved to this attempt to

aid the unimpeded flow of the great stream of the The-

osophical M ovement, not so much b y any b elief in their

own especial ability as b y the conviction that that flow

is being impeded and corrupted by the partisanship and

pretensions of the leading exp onents of the existing

s o c i e t i e s . It is therefore addressed, not to any society or

societies, bu t to all true Theosophists, whether members

of any of the existing organizations or of none, and to

all true enquirers everyw here, who may be wil ling to ac-

cept truth wherever it may be found, and to defend it,

even looking p opu lar prejudice-and their own- straight

in the face .

For the rest, it may be added that the SYLLABUS whichprecedes the text will , it is hoped, be found, b oth by the

general reader and the serious student, to be more satis-

factory than an index . The abu ndant direct citations and

the coll ateral references inclu ded in the text render

superfluou s a separate bibl iography and will, it is thought,

enabl e those so minded to verify at first hand every minor

as well as major sub ject discussed .


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CONTENTS

xi

CHAPTER PAGEI .

I I .

CHANN ELS OF THE THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT 11 3

26

42

5 9

7 5

THE PARENT THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY . ..I I . "Isis UNVEILED"V

V .VIVII .

EARLY DAYS OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETYTHE S.P .R. AND THE THEOSOPHICAL PHE-

. .

. .

NOMENAHE REPORT OF THE S . P . RIVISIONS AMONG THEOSOPHISTS-NEW PUBLI-CATIONS. 94VIII ESOTERIC AND EXOTERIC ASPECTS OF THE THEO- 110OPHICAL MOVEMENT . . . .IX . HP .B . , OLCOTT, AND JUDGE . . . 127X THE FORMATION OF THE ESOTERIC SECTION 1 4 4XI . THE WORK OF THE ESOTERIC SECTION . 1 6 3

XII . MABEL COLLINS AND PROFESSOR CODES . . 178XIII . THE CODES-COLLINS CHARGES AND THEIR AF-

1 9 5ERMATHIV T he Ne w Yor k S un LIBEL CASE . . . . 211XV . OLCOTT VERSUS H .P .B26XVI . OLCOTT'S ATTEMPT TO CENTRALIZE ALL AU-THORITY4 4XVI I . HP .B. TAKES CHARGE OF THE T. S . IN EUROPE 267XVII I . DEATH OF H. P .B .-HER LAST MESSAGES 2 7 5XIX . THE CRISIS IN THE SOCIETY93XX. ATTEMPTS TO SUPERSEDE H. P .B . ' s INFLUENCE . 3 0 2XXI. GROWING DIVERGENCES-OLCOTT RESIGNS AS

PRESIDENT2 1


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'U CONTENTSCHAPTER PAGE

MOVEMENT89XXII. CONVENTION OF 1892-OLCOTT WITHDRAWS HisRESIGNAT ION3 4XXIII H.P .B . 's " S U C CESSORS " - T HE P UBLI CA T I ON OF"OLD DIARY LEAVES"51XXIV CONTROVERSY OVER H.P .B. 'S STATUS AS AGENTOF THE MASTERS80XXV. ANNIE BESANT IN AMERICA, 1892-1893 4 05XXVI BEGINNINGS OF THE "JUDGE CASE" . 4 2 5XXVII MRS. BESANT C HANGES SIDES . 4 4 1XXVIII . THE AMERICAN SECTION SUPPORTS JUDGE 4 6 8XXIX . THE "JUDICIAL ENQUIRY" IN LONDON . 4 9 3XXX . BRITISH CONVENTION DISMISSES CASE AGAINSTJUDGE 51 9XXXI THE "EASTERN DIVISION" AND "WESTERN DI-VISION " . 559XXXII Westminster Gazette ATTACKS THE SOCIETY . 57 4XXXIII . MRS BESANT TRIES TO DRIVE JUDGE OUT OFT HE SOC IE T Y9 6XXXIV THE AMERICAN SECTION DECLARES ITS AUTON-OMY AND ELECTS JUDGE ITS LIFE-PRESIDENT 6 2 2XXXV JUDGE'S DEATH AND THE TINGLEY "SUCCESSOR-SHIP" 6 53XXXVI PRESENT AND FUTURE OF THE THEOSOPHICAL


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ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSPAGECHAPTER I . CHANNELS OF THE THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT 1

The Theosophical Movement the s t o r y o f Spiritual and I n t e l -l e c t u a l evolution-Religions and systems of thought, govern-

ments, s e c t s and p a r t i e s , landmarks o f i t s c y c l i c a l progression

through the ages-The Reformation, Free Masonry, the Ameri-

can Republic, the abolition of human slavery all steps-the

`'divine right" of God and the "divine rights ; ' of kings alike

obstacles to progress-all physical evolution preceded and accom-

panied by intellectual and moral growth- upw ard impul ses due

to the inspiration of higher evolv ed Intellig ences-they work

through ap propriate channels-modern signs of the Theosophical

Mov ement abundantl y in evidence-Western interest in oriental

philosophy and religion-the g reat influence of the "Light of

Asia"-the tremendous effect of Darwin's " Origin of Sp ecies"

on prevailing religious ideas of "creation," God and Nature-

Buckle's intuitive perception of the rise of new religions andphilosophies-the great work of iconoclasts like Ingersoll andBradlaug h, of lib eral preachers like Kingsley and Channing-

the Bastilles of orthodoxy no longer impregnabl e-Sp iritualism

an index of the transitional state of mind in religion-phenomena

and forces ignored b y Science-the writing s of All an Kardec-

Spiritualism devoid alike of morality and p hilosophybecomesin a generation the faith of mill ions-due to awak ening psy chic

facul ties-M adame Blav atsky enters the Western arena-her ex-

hibition of powers exercised at w i l l - her total l y u n k no wn

philosophy of Life-her first efforts made with the Spiritualists .

CHAPTER II THE PARENT THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY . . . 1 3Madame Blavatsky comes to New York in 1873-meets Col .H. S. Oleott in 1874 at the Eddy farmhouse-she controls theexhibition of phenomena unknow n to the spectators-Olcott a

prominent lawy er and newspaper writer, a l ife-long Spiritualist

-b ecomes greatly interested in H .P.B. 'a p owers and knowledge

-introduces her to Wm. Q Judge, a young lawy er-Oleott and

Judge become pupil s of H .P.B.-Oleott's book, "People from

the Other World," draws pu bl ic attention to the phenomenal

powers of H .P . B .-her apartment dubbed " the Lamasery" be-

comes the scene of a never ending throng of visitors and mar-

vel seekers-Oleott proposes a "Miracle Club ," w hich falls

through-the Theosophical Society established in November,

1875, b y H.P.B. , Olcott and Judge- other early memb ers-mostof them Spiritu alists who turn enemies-teachings of H. P .B .entirely opposed to the theories of Spiritualism-many Euro-

pean and Indian Fellow s join the new Society-T he Arya Somaj

and Swami Sarasvati-the original Society democratic in organi-

zation- no restrictions on freedom of conscience or liberty ofxm


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x i v ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSthought-the "Three Objects" of the Parent Theosophical So-

ciety-H . P . B . w rites "Isis Unveiled," p ub lished in 1877 -

g o e s w i t h C o l . O l c o t t t o I n d i a , l e a v i n g J u d g e i n A m e r i c a - r a p i d

growth of the Society in the Orient-early publ ications and

formation of new "Branches," East and West .

CHAPTER III. "ISIS UNVEILED" . ." I s i s U n v e i l e d " a M a s t e r K e y t o t h e m y s t e r i e s o f s c i e n c e a n d

religion, modern and ancient-dedicated to the Theosophical

S o c i e t y w i t h w h o s e " T h r e e O b j e c t s " i t s t e a c h i n g s a r e i n c o r -

r e l a t i o n - d i s c u s s e s t h e r o o t s o f a l l r e l i g i o n , t h e n e g a t i o n s o f

s c i e n c e , a n d t h e p h e n o m e n a o f S p i r i t u a l i s m - de c l a r e s a l l t h r e e

b e f o r e a b l a n k w a l l o n l y t o b e p e n e t r a t e d b y r e c o u r s e t o t h e

wisdom of the ancient sages-affirms the existence of the

W i s d o m -R e l i g i o n a s t h e t r u e S o u r c e o f t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l M o v e -

ment in all ag es-H . P . B . a v o w s h e r o w n i n t i m a t e a c q u a i n t a n c e

with living Adepts-phenomenal p owers over space, time andm a t t e r - p r o v e s t h e f a l l a c i e s o f " e x a c t " s c i e n c e b y t h e t e s t i m o n y

o f i t s o w n e x p o n e n t s - a l l c l a i m s o f r e l i g i o u s " i n f a l l i b i l i t y "

m e r e t h e o l o g i c a l d o g m a s - r a i s e s h e r v o i c e f o r s p i r i t u a l f r e e d o m

and enfranchisement from all tyranny whether of Science or

T h e o l o g y - p o s t u l a t e s a d o u b l e e v o l u t i o n , s p i r i t u a l a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l

- t h e W i s d o m - R e l i g i o n t h e o n l y p h i l o s o p h y w h i c h c a n r e c o n c i l e

faith and knowledge-M etempsychosis, in its esoteric sense-

t h e s o l u t i o n o f t h e " m i s s i n g l i n k s " i n S c i e n c e a n d t h e m y s t e r i e s

t h a t b a f f l e r e l i g i o n i s t s - a n c i e n t Magic a D i v i n e S c i e n c e , C y c l i c

Law, or Karma, t h e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e r i s e a n d f a l l o f c i v i l i z a -

tions-the periodic destructions and renovations of Nature-

e v e r y p r o b l e m o f e x i s t e n c e s o l v e d b y t h e W i s e M e n o f o l d - t h e

s e c r e t a n d u n b r o k e n c h a i n o f t h e A d e p t s o f t h e G r e a t L o d g e -

t h e g r e a t p r o p o s i t i o n s o f O c c u l t i s m - t h e r e i s n o m i r a c l e , e v e r y -

thing under Law (Karma)- Spirit, Mind and Matter the evolv-

ing Trinity in Nature and in Man-Adeptship versus Medium-

s h i p - t h e T r i n i t y o f N a t u r e t h e l o c k o f M a g i c - t h e T r i n i t y o f

M a n t h e K e y t h a t f i t s i t .

CHAPTER IV. EARLY DAYS OF THE THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 42The Theosophical Society an attempt to form a human asso-

c i a t i o n o n t h e b a s i s o f t h e L o d g e o f A d e p t s , p u r e Altruism-H. P . B . n o t d e c e i v e d i n r e g a r d t o t h e o b s t a c l e s t o b e m e t - s e c -t a r i a n r e l i g i o u s p r e j u d i c e s , t h e g r e a t b a r r i e r t o t r u e F r a t e r n i t y

-the Second Object of the T . S .-the idea of "miracles" and

m a t e r i a l i s t i c h y p o t h e s e s o f m o d e r n s c i e n c e t h e g r e a t e n e m i e s o f

true knowl edge, hence the Third Object-Man inherently per-

f e c t i b l e , n o t a m o r t a l f a l l i b l e b e i n g - A d e p t s t h e l i v i n g p r o o f o f

the divinity inherent in every man-the Wisdom-Religion can

be known and its Adepts found b y any sincere man-the real

enemies of human welfare-b ound to array themselves againstH. P . B . , h e r S o c i e t y a n d h e r m i s s i o n - w h o t h o s e e n e m i e s a r e -o r t h o d o x r e l i g i o n s , m a t e r i a l i s t i c s c i e n c e , p s e u d o - s c i e n t i s t s , p r e -

t e n d e d authorities-the m e r c e n a r i e s a n d p a r a s i t e s o f t h e p r e s s -

" I s i s U n v e i l e d " n e i t h e r a r e v e l a t i o n n o r a n a r b i t r a r y t h e o r y - a

s t a t e m e n t o f v e r i f i a b l e f a c t s , p h y s i c a l a n d m e t a p h y s i c a l - r e s t s

u p o n i t s o w n i n h e r e n t w o r t h - t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l S o c i e t y a b o d y o f

s t u d e n t s - d e p e n d e n t u p o n s e l f - i n d u c e d a n d s e l f - d e v i s e d e f f o r t s

to study and apply the teachings of Theosophy-rejected and

o p p o s e d b y t h e S p i r i t u a l i s t s , i t s n a t u r a l a l l i e s , b e c a u s e o f i t s

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ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSt e a c h i n g s o n a f t e r - d e a t h s t a t e s a n d c o n d i t i o n s - g re a t l y h e l p e d

i n t h e E a s t b e c a u s e o f t h e n a t u r a l m y s t i c i s m o f t h e i n h a b i t a n t s-Swami S a r a s v a t i a n d h i s A r y a S o m a j o r i g i n a l l y s y m p a t h e t i c- B u d d h i s t a n d H i n d u f r i e n d s g a i n e d f o r t h e S o c i e t y i n I n d i a -

Sumangali, Damodar Maval ankar and Subb a Row, powerfula l l i e s - A . P . S i n n e t t a n d A . O . H u m e i n f l u e n t i a l f r i e n d s a m o n g

the Engl ish-T he T h e o s o p h i s t founded in 1879- Olcott's "Bud-

d h i s t C a t e c h i s m " p u b l i s h e d - t h i s a n d h i s l e c t u r i n g t o u r s g a i n

m a n y a d h e r e n t s - M i s s i o n a r y h o s t i l i t y a r o u s e d a t t h e s u c c e s s a n d

propag anda of the Society-H . P . B . c h a r g e d w i t h b e i n g a R u s -

sian spy and an immoral woman with Col . O l c o t t f o r h e r d u p e

- o t h e r c a l u m n i e s - c h a r g e s r e c a n t e d b y e n e m i e s - f i r s t i n t e r n a l

disturbance in the London Lodge-Dr . G e o r g e W y l d ' s d e f e c t i o n-Dr. Anna Bonus Kingsford's "Perfect Way"- her pamphletassault on Mr . Sinnett 's "Esoteric Buddhism"-M r . Su bb a

Row replies-M r. C . C . M a s s e y p r e c i p i t a t e s f u r t h e r t r o u b l e s - t h e

"Kiddie charges" of p lag iarism by the Master-the storm

raised in England and France in 1884- H . P . B . a n d C o l . O l c o t t

go to Paris and London-meet Mr . Solovyoff-Judge comes to

P a r i s , g o e s t o I n d i a , a n d r e t u r n s t o A m e r i c a v i a London-H . P . B .

and Col . O l c o t t m e e t l e a d i n g m e m b e r s o f t h e S o c i e t y f o r P s y -

c h i c a l R e s e a r c h w h i l e i n L o n d o n - t h e S . P .R . p l a n s t o i n v e s t i g a t e

the "T heosophical p henomena."

CHAPTER V . THE S.P .R . AND THE THEOSOPHICAL PHE-NOMENA9T h e S o c i e t y f o r P s y c h i c a l R e s e a r c h p r e c e d e d b y t h e D i a l e c t i c a lS o c i e t y - t h a t S o c i e t y i n v e s t i g a t e s S p i r i t u a l i s m i n 1 8 6 9 - p u b -l i s h e s i t s R e p o r t i n 1 8 7 0 - c o n c l u d e s p h e n o m e n a o f S p i r i t u a l i s m

a r e g e n u i n e - t r a n s c e n d a l l k n o w n l a w s - s h o u l d b e i n v e s t i g a t e d

scientifically-criticisms of the Report by London papers-

P r o f e s s o r C r o o k e s i n v e s t i g a t e s S p i r i t u a l i s m - p u b l i s h e s h i s r e s u l t s

in 1872- Mr . C r o o k e s a s s a i l e d a s s a v a g e l y a s D a r w i n - n o a d -

v a n c e i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f S p i r i t u a l i s t i c p h e n o m e n a d u r i n g n e x t

ten years-the "Unseen Universe"-the Society for Psychical

R e s e a r c h e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1 8 8 2 - i t s c h i e f s p o n s o r s S p i r i t u a l i s t s -

some of them members of the Theosophical Society also-many

well -k nown men and women join the S . P . R . - i t b e g i n s i t s i n -

vestigation of the "T heosophical phenomena" in the summer

o f 1 8 8 4 - O l e o t t , S i n n e t t , C h a t t e r j i a n d o t h e r s e x a m i n e d - H . P . B .

interviewed-many other witnesses to the phenomena of H . P . B .

g i v e t e s t i m o n y - P r e l i m i n a r y R e p o r t o f t h e S . P . R . i s s u e d i n t h e

fall of 1884-admits the prima f a c i e g e n u i n e n e s s o f t h e p h e -

n o m e n a - r e s e r v a t i o n s d u e t o t h e c h a r g e s j u s t m a d e i n I n d i a b y

t h e C o u l o m b s a g a i n s t t h e g o o d f a i t h o f H . P . B . - d e c l a r e s a f u r -

ther investigation necessary in India-appoints Mr . R i c h a r d

H o d g s o n f o r t h a t p u r p o s e - t h e s t o r y o f t h e C o u l o m b c h a r g e s o f

f r a u d a g a i n s t H. P . B .-H. P . B . s h i p w r e c k e d in 1871 -g oes toCairo-meets Madame Coul omb-is su ccored by her-starts as o c i e t y t o i n v e s t i g a t e W e s t e r n S p i r i t u a l i s m - t h e a t t e m p t a f a i l -

u r e - H . P . B . r e t u r n s t o R u s s i a i n 1 8 7 2 - g o e s t o P a r i s a n d t h e nto New York in 1 873-M adame Coulomb marries in Egyp t-

m e e t s w i t h r e v e r s e s - i s l i v i n g i n p o v e r t y i n C e y l o n w h e n H . P . B .

and Col. Olcott come to India-the Coulombs app eal for aid-

g o t o I n d i a - j o i n t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l S o c i e t y i n 1 8 8 0 - a r e g i v e n

employment at headquarters-Madame Coul omb a bigoted Chris-

t i a n a n d S p i r i t u a l i s t m e d i u m - b e c o m e s j e a l o u s o f H . P. B . ' a s u c -

c e s s f u l m i s s i o n - t r i e s t o e x t o r t m o n e y f r o m m e m b e r s - c i r c u l a t e s

xv

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x v i ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSs l a n d e r s a b o u t H . P . B .-is brought to "trial" b y the members

o f t h e C o u n c i l d u r i n g a b s e n c e o f H . P . B . a n d O l c o t t i n E u r o p e

in the summer of 1884-the Coulombs communicate with Madras

m i s s i o n a r i e s - a r e e x p e l l e d f r o m t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l S o c i e t y - a r e

s u p p o r t e d b y t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s - t h e C o u l o m b c h a r g e s p u b l i s h e d

i n t h e Christian College M agazine and in a pamphlet-the out-

b u r s t o c c a s i o n e d .

CHAPT ER VI . THE REPORT OF THE S . P .R5M a d a m e B l a v a t s k y r e s i g n s f r o m T h e o s o p h i c a l S o c i e t y w h e n C o u -l o m b c h a r g e s m a d e p u b l i c - r e s i g n a t i o n r e f u s e d b y O l c o t t u n d e rpressure-H . P . B . w r i t e s L o n d o n Times and Pall Mall Gazettep r o n o u n c i r _ g c h a r g e s a c o n s p i r a c y - H . P . B . a n d O l c o t t r e t u r n t oIndia at end of 1884- H . P . B . i n s i s t s c h a r g e s m u s t b e m e t b y

c o u r t p r o c e e d i n g s a g a i n s t t h e C o u l o m b s - O l c o t t a n d t h e H i n d u s

o p p o s e l e g a l a c t i o n - t h e A d y a r C o n v e n t i o n d e c l i n e s t o d e f e n d

H. P . B . w h i l e a f f i r m i n g b e l i e f i n h e r bona fides-Oleott a n d S i n -n e t t a l r e a d y m i s t r u s t H . P . B . - s h e r e s i g n s f r o m t h e S o c i e t y a n dleaves India early in 1885-M r. H o d g s o n i n I n d i a d u r i n g t h e

Convention and desertion of H . P . B . by Theosophists-p ower-

f u l l y a f f e c t e d b y t h e l u k e w a r m n e s s a n d d o u b t s o f l e a d i n g T h e o s o -

p h i s t s - r e t u r n s t o E n g l a n d a n d s u b m i t s h i s r e p o r t t o C o m m i t t e e

of S. P . R .-Hodgson's findings adopted by Committee in June,

1885-Report of the S . P . R . publ ished following December-

Conclusions reached-H . P . B . ' s p h e n o m e n a f r a u d u l e n t - i n a l o n g -

continued conspiracy to deceive publ ic-Coulomb letters andMahatma l e t t e r s w r i t t e n b y H . P . B . - d e c l a r e H . P . B . " o n e o f t h em o s t a c c o m p l i s h e d , i n g e n i o u s , a n d i n t e r e s t i n g i m p o s t o r s i n h i s -tory"--the R e p o r t o f t h e S . P . R . e x a m i n e d c r i t i c a l l y s h o w s i t t ob e w h o l l y ex parte-no s a f e g u a r d s e m p l o y e d t o a s c e r t a i n a n d

r e n d e r j u s t i c e - t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n t h a t o f a r i v a l s o c i e t y c o n -

t r o l l e d b y S p i r i t u a l i s t s - t h e S . P . R . n o t i n t e r e s t e d i n p h i l o s o p h y

or ethics-avid for phenomena-ignorant of Occultism-contra-

d i c t i o n s a n d i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s o f S . P . R . C o m m i t t e e s h o w n f r o m i t s

o w n R e p o r t - C o m mi t t e e r e l i e s w h o l l y o n M r . M a s s e y ' s s u s p i c i o n s ,

t h e C o u l o m b c h a r g e s , a n d t h e o p i n i o n s o f t h e L o n d o n h a n d w r i t i n g

experts-M r . M a s s e y ' s s u s p i c i o n s s h o w n t o b e w i t h o u t t a n g i b l e

f o u n d a t i o n - t h e C o u l o m b s s h o w n o u t o f t h e i r o w n m o u t h s t o b e

l y i n g t r i c k s t e r s - t h e h a n d w r i t i n g e x p e r t s s h o w n a s f i r s t d e c l a r -

i n g t h e Mahatma l e t t e r s c o u l d not h a v e b e e n w r i t t e n b y H . P . B .- t h e n , a t H o d g s o n ' s s o l i c i t a t i o n , c h a n g i n g t h e i r o p i n i o n t o t h e

contrary-the expert Netherclift shown to have sworn posi-t i v e l y i n t h e P a r n e l l c a s e t o t h e o p p o s i t e o f t h e f a c t s - t h e m o -

t i v e s o f a l l a d v e r s e w i t n e s s e s s h o w n t o h a v e b e e n c u l p a b l e a n d

t h e i r t e s t i m o n y i m p e a c h e d - m o r e t h a n o n e h u n d r e d r e s p o n s i b l e

w i t n e s s e s a f f i r m t h e g e n u i n e n e s s o f p h e n o m e n a w i t n e s s e d b y t h e m

-the S . P . R . C o m m i t t e e d e c l a r e s t h e s e t o h a v e b e e n v i c t i m s o f

" h a l l u c i n a t i o n ' - H o d g s o n ' s f i n d i n g s e x a m i n e d - a m a s s o f s u s -

p i c i o n s a n d c o n t r a d i c t o r y c o n j e c t u r e s t o a c c o u n t f o r f a c t s t e s t i -

f i e d t o - H o d g s o n r e c o g n i z e s n e c e s s i t y f o r s h o w i n g a m o t i v e s u f -

f i c i e n t t o a c c o u n t f o r H . P . B . ' s a l l e g e d f r a u d d u r i n g t w e n t y y e a r s

- r e j e c t s s u p p o s i t i o n t h a t s h e w a s i n f l u e n c e d b y g r e e d o r a m b i -

t i o n - s u b m i t s t h e o r y t h a t H . P . B . w a s a R u s s i a n s p y - h e r S o c i e t y

a n d h e r p h e n o m e n a a c l o a k t o c o n c e a l h e r d e s i g n s a g a i n s t B r i t i s h

r u l e i n I n d i a .

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ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS x v i iFAGSCHAPTER VI I . DIVISIONS AMONG THEOSOPHISTS-NEW

PUBLICATI ONS4E f f e c t o n T h e o s o p h i s t s o f C o u l o m b - S . P

. R. " e x p o s u r e " - O l c o t t

goes to Burmah-H . P . B . d e s p e r a t e l y i l l - a t t e m p t t o u n s e a t 0 1 -

c o t t , w h o r e t u r n s t o A d y a r - H . P. B . s up p o r t s h i m -b u t te l l s hi m

i n d e s e r t i n g h e r t h e T h e o s o p h i s t s h a v e d e s e r t e d t h e M a s t e r s -H. P . B . resigns and leaves India for Europe-Damodar leavesA d y a r a n d g o e s t o t h e M a s t e r s - t h e S o c i e t y i n I n d i a l a n g u i s h e s

and falls into pub lic contempt-H . P . B . f i n d s f r i e n d s a n d s u p -

p o r t e r s i n E u r o p e - O l c o t t a n d I n d i a n s f i n d t h e y c a n n o t c o n t i n u e

without H . P . B . - C o n v e n t i o n a t c l o s e o f 1 8 8 5 i n v i t e s h e r t o r e -

s u m e h e r o f f i c e o f C o r r e s p o n d i n g S e c r e t a r y - r e f u s e s r e s i g n a t i o n

o f O l c o t t w h o i s r e a d y t o r e t i r e a s P r e s i d e n t - t e m p o r a r y r e s t o r a -

tion of harmony among Theosophists-H . P . B . i n E u r o p e , fi r s t i n

Italy , then Germany, then Belgium-her sickness, poverty,

c o u r a g e , g o o d t e m p e r a n d u n r e m i t t i n g e x e r t i o n s - v i s i t ed b y m a n y

n o t e d T h e o s o p h i s t s - h e r p h y s i c a l c o n d i t i o n d e s p e r a t e f o r t w o

years- carried to London by Countess Wachtmeister and the

K e i g h t l e y s i n s u m m e r o f 1 8 8 7 - h e r p r e s e n c e a g r e a t s t i m u l u s t o

T h e o s o p h y i n E n g l a n d -n e w p u b l i c a t i o n s , t h e S p h y n x , t h e Lotus

and Lucifer-the " Blavatsky Lodge" formed at London-Sin-n e t t p u b l i s h e s " I n c i d e n t s i n t h e L i f e o f H . P . B l a v a t s k y " a s a n

o f f s e t t o S . P . R. Report-new b ooks-"Light on the Path"-

"Five Years of Theosophy"- "M an : F r a g m e n t s o f F o r g o t t e n

History "-revival of Theosophical spirit and work-in Asia-

in Europe- in America-Judge the heart of the Movement in

America-rebuilds the Society-Judge begins The Path i n 1 8 8 6

-secures the establishment of the American "Board of Con-

t r o l " b y O l c o t t - n e w B r a n c h e s a n d L o d g e s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s

-Judge forms the "American Section of the T . S . " - f i r s t r e a l l y

d e m o c r a t i c o r g a n i z a t i o n i n t h e S o c i e t y - - J u d g e b e c o m e s i t s G e n -

e r a l S e c r e t a r y - t h e w o r k n o w i n t h r e e s t r e a m s - J u d g e i n A m e r -

iea-H . P . B. i n E u r o p e - O l e o t t i n India-all i n o u t w a r d c o n c o r d .

CHAPTER VIII . ESOTERI C AN D ESOTERI C ASPECT S OF THETHEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT .T h e " E s o t e r i c S e c t i o n o f t h e T . S . " - t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l Movement

h a s a n e s o t e r i c a s w e l l a s a n e x o t e r i c a s p e c t - t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l

Society m e r e l y t h e p u b l i c e x p e r i m e n t a l a s p e c t o f t h e M o v e m e n t

a n d i t s T h i r d S e c t i o n - t h e F i r s t S e c t i o n t h e L o d g e o f M a s t e r s

- t h e S e c o n d S e c t i o n c o m p o s e d o f a c c e p t e d , l a y a n d p r o b a t i o n a r y

C h e l a s o r D i s c i p l e s - t h e M a s t e r s o r F i r s t S e c t i o n n e v e r p u b -

l i c l y k n o w n - t h e S e c o n d S e c t i o n k e p t s e c r e t , b u t p r o b a t i o n e r s

a c c e p t e d p r i v a t e l y - J u d g e a n d O l c o t t t h e e a r l i e s t m e m b e r s o f

t h e S e c o n d S e c t i o n k n o w n - f i r s t p u b l i c n o t i c e o f t h e T h r e e S e c -

t i o n s i n I n d i a i n 1 8 8 0 - h i n t s a n d a r t i c l e s o n C h e l a s h i p t h e r e -

a f t e r a p p e a r a t i n t e r v a l s i n The T h e o s o p h i s t - d i f f e r e n c e b e -

tween Occultism and Spiritualism- Chelaship and mediumship

o p p o s e d c o u r s e s - r e a s o n s f o r s e c r e c y i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h " C h e l a -

ship of the Second Section"-the immense change in the work

of H . P . B. a n d J u d g e a f t e r 1 8 8 6 - s h o w n i n c o n t e n t s o f L u c i f e r

and The P a t h - i l l u s t r a t i v e a r t i c l e s c i t e d - - " t h e o r d e a l s o f C h e l a -

s h i p " - p r a c t i c a l l y e x e m p l i f i e d i n c a s e o f M r s . Cabl es and Mr .W. T . Brown-M rs . C a b l e s a S p i r i t u a l i s t C h r i s t i a n w i t h m y s t i c a lt e n d e n c i e s - b e g i n s p u b l i c a t i o n o f The Occult Word-W . TBrown a "p robationary Chela"- becomes a "Rosicrueian"-joins Mrs . Cabl es-they seek for "communications from the

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$ V 1 1 1 ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSPAGE

Mahatmas "-receive no "signs "- pu bl ish a "manifesto"-HPB.e p l i e s - s h o w s d a n g e r s a n d r e q u i r e m e n t s o f C h e l a s h i p -- c i t e s B r o w n ' s o w n c a s e i n i l l u s t r a t i o n w i t h o u t n a m i n g h i m -

M rs . Cables and Brown leave the Society-failures frequent

among candidates for Chelaship-out of hundreds "one only"a c h i e v e s f u l l s u c c e s s - s e v e n y e a r s s u c c e s s f u l p r o b a t i o n t h e m i n i -

mum requirement before "communication with Masters" possi-

b l e o n b o t h s i d e s - f a i l u r e o f T h e o s o p h i s t s t o l e a d t h e l i f e .

CHAPTER IX . H.P . B . , OLCOT T A N D JUDGE . . . . 1 2 7H. P . B. the Messenger of the Masters-Judge next to her ini m p o r t a n c e e s o t e r i c a l l y - O l c o t t t h e p u b l i c h e a d a n d f r o n t o f t h e

e x o t e r i c w o r k - O l c o t t ' s l i m i t a t i o n s a n d o b s t a c l e s - h i s o w n l e t -

t e r q u o t e d - O l c o t t , t h e p r o b a t i o n a r y C h el a , f a l l s o f t e n a n d u p s e t s

his work as President-his attitude toward H . P . B . and Judge

-his friendship and intimacy with those who afterward be-

c a m e e n e m i e s o r t r a i t o r s - M a s s e y , P r o f . C o u e s - O l c o t t ' s a l i g h t s

to H . P . B .- his partiality for Sub ba Row- friction between

Subb a Row and H . P.B. o v e r t h e " S e v e n f o l d C l a s s i f i c a t i o n " - t h e

c o n t e n t i o n s i n The Theosophist-Judge i n t e r v e n e s i n t h e c o n -

t r o v e r s y - i n t e r n a l f r i c t i o n s c a u s e o f a l l e x t e r n a l t r o u b l e s =

f a i l u r e o f T h e o s o p h i s t s t o a d h e r e t o F i r s t O b j e c t a n d o f p r o -

b a t i o n a r y C h e l a s t o k e e p t h e i r P l e d g e s - c o u l d n o t e n d u r e c o r r e c -

t i o n a t h a n d s o f H . P . B . or Judge-" Pledge Fever" real cause

o f s t o r m y c o u r s e o f t h e S o c i e t y - n e c e s s i t y f o r r e s t o r a t i o n o f

the Mov ement to true lines-Ju dge adv ises formation of

" E s o t e r i c S e c t i o n " - d r a w s u p i t s R u l e s - O l c o t t t o r n b y f e a r s

a n d d o u b t s - t h e b a t t l e b e t w e e n t h e " T h r e e F o u n d e r s " p r i o r t o

t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e " E s o t e r i c S e c t i o n " - n o t d i s c l o s e d t i l l

long afterwards in "Old Diary Leaves " -neither H. P . B . n o r

Judge ever wrote anything personal-never "washed Theosoph-ical dirty linen in pub lic"- story of friction between the

F o u n d e r s u n k n o w n t o T h e o s o p h i s t s a t t h e t i m e - d i s c l o s e d l o n g

afterward by Olcott "Old Diary Leaves" not a history bu t

a n a u t o b i o g r a p h y .

CHAPTER X . THE FORM ATI ON OF THE ESOTERI C SECTI ON 1 4 4T h e " c r i t i c a l p e r i o d " p r e c e d i n g t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e " E s o t e r i c

Section" of the T . S . - H . P . B . d i s c u s s e s O l c o t t ' s n a t u r e i n al e t t e r t o D r . F r a n z H a r t m a n n i n 1 8 8 6 - O l c o t t a n d o t h e r s n e v e r

u n d e r s t o o d e i t h e r M a s t e r s o r H . P . B . - O l c o t t s i n c e r e b u t " l a c k s

i n t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l p o r t i o n o f h i s b r a i n " - H . P . B . ' s st o r y o f

h e r d i f f i c u l t i e s - t r y i n g t o a i d o t h e r s t o p e r c e p t i o n o f t h e f a c t s

-Olcott tells his story at length in "Old Diary Leaves"-thinks H . P . B . w i s e , f o o l i s h a n d f a n a t i c - o p p o s e s e s t a b l i s h m e n to f L u c i f e r and of "Blavatsky Lodge"- offended at H . P . B . ' sc o u r s e i n t h e S u b b a R o w c o n t r o v e r s y - d i s c u s s e s H . P. B . ' s n a t u r e

- - c a l l s h e r " i n s u l t e d a n d m i s u n d e r s t o o d M e s s e n g e r " - t h e n s a y s

she "frets and worries over mares' nests"-calls the Judge-C o u e s c o n t r o v e r s y a " p e r s o n a l q u a r r e l " - g i v e s h i s v e r s i o n - o f

the storm preceding the "Esoteric Section "-calls H . P . B . a"mad person," "hyperexeited hysterical woman' '-discloses

that H . P . B . w a s p r e p a r e d t o l e a v e t h e T . S . and form a new

Society of her own if he does not reform-the Hindu "Coun-

c i l " f r i g h t e n e d a t H . P. B . ' s s t a n d - m o r e t r o u b l e i n t h e P a r i s

Branch-Olcott makes it an excuse to go to Europe in 1888-

t o " f i g h t i t o u t " w i t h H . P . B . - f i r s t o v e r r u l e s h e r t h e n r e s c i n d s

his action-confirms H. P . B . ' s " i n t e r f e r e n c e " a s w i t h i n h e r


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ANALYTICAL TABLE O1 ' CONTENTS"Constitutional rig hts"-Olcott receives a letter on shipboard

in 1888 direct from the Master-w rongl y rel ates it in "Old

Diary Leaves" to the visit in 1884- the Master's letter a

phenomenon indeed-it rep roaches Oleott for his attitude and

conduct towards H .P.B, -decl ares that it is she who is their

d i r e c t agent-affirms that " w i t h o c c u l t matters she has every -

thing to do"- warns Olcott to attend to his own bu siness-tells

him he will hav e to suffer for his injustice to H . P . B .-the

letter effective for the time being- Judg e goes to London and

the Three Founders effect a reconciliation-H .P.B . i s s u e s p u b l i c

notice of the Esoteric Section, accompanied by an "official

authorization" from Oleott-joint note of H . P .B . and Olcott

to all Theosophists-Olcott afterwards takes credit to himself

for the outcome- " pacifies H. P .B. "CHAPTER XI. THE WORK OF THE ESOTERIC SECTION . . 163

"Old Diary Leaves" tel ls the story of Olcott's return to India

late in 1 888 for the "Adyar Parl iament "-his Address to the

Convention-never set himself u p as a competent teacher-the

Esoteric Section H . P.B . 's sole responsibility- gl osses the Euro-

pean events to show himself the leading actor-the Conv ention

of the American Section in April, 1889, following-a letter readfrom H. P .B.- Judg e's respect and reverence for H . P . B . incontrast with Olcott's attitude- H .P.B . 's l etter refers to the

Esoteric Section-formed to work for Theosophy under her

direction-gives a warnin g direct from Masters-A l tr uism

Their object-T heosophists must strive for true fraternity-

Preliminary M emorandum to candidates for the Esoteric See-

tion-the Pledge required-secrecy, service and study- the

Esoteric Section necessary b ecause the T .S . had p roved after

thirteen years a "dead failu re" and a "sham"- the Esoteric

Section not for "p racticalractical occul tism' -for brotherly union,

mutual help, and the salvation of the T .S .- other extracts from

the Preliminary M emorandum and Book of Rul es .

CHAPTER XII. MABEL COLLINS AND PROFESSOR COUES . 178The Esoteric Section promptly b rings about Pledge Fever

in the T .S .-the g reat storm of 1889- 90-Mab el Coll ins and

Prof . Coues the conscious and unconscious instruments-M abel

Coll ins joins London Lodge in 1884 -a "p sychic" w ith no

kno w l ed ge of Occu l tism -medi um for "L i ght on the Path"and "The Gates of Gold"-becomes Associate Editor ofLucifer with H.P . B .- acquires great Theosophical repu tation-suddenly dropped from Lucifer in February, 1889- Prof . Coues

of Catholic descent and training- highl y educated-noted scien-

tific authority and writer-interested in "psychical research"-

joins T . S . at London in 1884 - becomes memb er of American

Board of Control-establ ishes the Gnostic Branch of the Ameri-

can Section T. S . , at Washington, D . C .-aids in establishing anAmerican Society for Psychical Research- tries to control T .S .

in United States-Ju dge' s cautions-Cou es corresponds withH. P .B . , Judge and Olcott, trying to set them at odds with eachother-Olcott nearly succu mbs- letter from Olcott to Cones-

Cones made Chairman at American Section Conv ention of 1888

at Chicago- giv es the Chicago Tribune a spurious "Mahatma

message"- -admits it to Judg e-denies it to H . P .B.- his letters

t o J u d g e a n d H , P , B .- his hypocrisy and thirst for notoriety

xix

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xx ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSand power-H . P . B . r e p l i e s t o h i m - s p e a k s p l a i n l y - r e f u s e s t o

countenance his "messages" or his ambitions-he demands to

be made head of the American Section as the price of his

a l l e g i a n c e - h i s o f f e r r e j e c t e d - n o t p r e s e n t a t t h e C o n v e n t i o n o f

A p r i l , 1 8 8 9 .

CHAPTER XIII THE COUES-COLLINS CH ARGES AND THE=AFTERMATH95C o u e s s e n d s a l e t t e r t o t h e R e l i g i o - P h i l o s o p h i c a l J o u r n a l ofMay 1 1, 1889- Bundy, Col eman, M ichael Angelo Lane andM a b e l C o l l i n s e n l i s t e d i n C o u e s ' c a m p a i g n t o r u i n J u d g e a n dH. P . B .-Coues' letter jeers at the "Theosophical mahatmas"-quotes a letter from Mabel Coll ins-says he never met MissC o l l i n s p e r s o n a l l y - w r o t e h e r f i r s t i n 1 8 8 5 a s k i n g r e a l s o u r c e o f"Light on the Path"- she replied that it was "dictated toh e r b y o n e o f t h e a d e p t s " o f H . P . B . - n o i n t e r v e n i n g e o m m u n i -

c a t i o n - n o w " u n e x p e c t e d l y " h e r e c e i v e s l e t t e r w h i c h h e g i v e s

-M iss Collins declares her original statement false-knows

n o t h i n g o f e x i s t e n c e o f a n y M a s t e r - m a d e h e r f a l s e s t a t e m e n t

because H . P . B . " beg ged and impl ored" her to-the Coues-

C o l l i n s ' c h a r g e s c r i t i c a l l y e x a m i n e d - s h o w C o u e s a c o n s c i e n c e l e s s

s c h e m e r a n d M a b e l C o l l i n s a m e d i u m i s t i c d u p e o f C o u e s - t h e i r

combined testimony prov ed false from their own evidence-

c o l l a t e r a l a n d c h r o n o l o g i c a l f a c t s s h o w b a s e l e s s n e s s a n d i m -

p o s s i b i l i t y o f a l l e g a t i o n s i n r e g a r d t oHPB-aftermath o fevents-M abel Collins sues H . P . B . f o r l i b e l - h e r o w n a t t o r n e y s

d i s m i s s t h e s u i t o n b e i n g s h o w n a l e t t e r o f M a b e l C o l l i n s i nH. P . B . ' s p o s s e s s i o n - T h e r e a l m y s t e r i e s i n v o l v e d i n t h e o r i g i nof Collins' " inspired" b ooks-Mabel Collins a "failure in

occultism "-dismissed, with M . A . Lane, from the EsotericSection-Coues never a member of the Section-admission re-f u s e d h i m .

CHAPTER XIV . T he Ne w Yor k S un LIBEL CASE . . . 2 1 1Professor Coues' case taken up by Judge-the Executive Com-

m i t t e e o f t h e A m e r i c a n S e c t i o n e x p e l s C o u e s f r o m t h e T . S.-the Convention in April, 1 890, approves the expulsion-the

Gnostic Branch dischartered-Coues pl ans revenge- the New

York Sun j o i n s i n t h e f r a y - c a l l s H . P . B . a n " i m p o s t o r , " l a u d s

Coues for exposing her "humbug religion"-followed by ful l-

p a g e i n t e r v i e w w i t h C o u e s - h e r e h a s h e s a l l t h e o l d s l a n d e r s o nH. P . B .- charges Judge with dupl icating in America H . P . B . ' sfrauds in England-the "mahatmas" a hoax and their "mes-sages" invented by H . P . B . and Judg e-charges H . P . B . w i t hi m m o r a l i t y - J u d g e b r i n g s s u i t f o r l i b e l a g a i n s t Sun-H. P . B .f o l l o w s - h e r l e t t e r i n T he Path-no e v a s i o n o f t h e i s s u e s - t h eSun f i g h t s t h e c a s e f o r t w o y e a r s - n o e v i d e n c e o b t a i n a b l e t osup port the charges made-the Sun p u b l i s h e s i n 1 8 9 2 a f u l l

retraction and repudiates Coues-retraction accompanied byp u b l i c a t i o n i n Sun o f a l o n g a r t i c l e b y J u d g e i n d e f e n s e o fH. P . B .-Sun s a y s e d i t o r i a l l y " M r . J u d g e 's a r t i c l e d i s p o s e s o f a l lquestions regarding M adame Blavatsky as presented by Dr .Coues"-the Sun l i b e l c a s e a c o m p l e t e v i n d i c a t i o n o f H . P . B .-infamy of sub sequent reiteration of exploded slanders by

Count Witte and Margot Tennant-Coues disgraced by outcome

o f s u i t s - r e t i r e s t o o b s c u r i t y - i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e C o u e s - C o l l i n s -

Sun b a t t l e - s h o u l d b e f a m i l i a r t o a l l s t u d e n t s .

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ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS x x iPAGECHAPTER XV . OLCOTT vmsUs H. P .B26

Esoteric aspect of the Coues struggl e-- cycles in T heosophical

Mov ement-the Three Founders the personification of the Three

Sections of the Mov ement-a b reach between the Sections in

the first ten years-Oleott and others' failure to defend H. P.B .

in 1885 the sign of the rupture-first doub ts-then dissent and

dissimulation-then temporising-then rep udiation of the Oc-

cult status of H . P . B:he long list of "failures in occultism"in the first thirteen years-Coues counted on Olcott's supp ort-

Olcott becomes frightened at possible consequences to Society

and himself-refuses to align himself with his colleagues- -b ut

does not openly supp ort Coues-bl inded by jealousy and vanity

-- "Old Diary Leaves" discloses Olcott's inner attitude and

strugg les-his "pitched battle" w ith H .P.B . in 1888 over the

Esoteric Section-du e to his inner doubts and fears-thoughtH. P . B . and Judge were engaged in "the bu ilding up of a newstructure of falsehood, fraud and treachery in which to house

new idols"- -takes Richard Harte back to India with him-

Oleott's comments in "Old Diary Leaves" on the events from

1888 to 1890-obsessed with the importance of the Society- of

himself as its President-Founder- changes in the Constitution

and articles in The Theosophist-engineered by Olcott to make

himself supreme-tries to relegate H . P . B . and Judge to "their

proper place"-"Rev ised Rules" adopted by the "Adyar Par-liament"-Judge and H.P.B . oppose-sup ported by the Ameri-can and British Sections .

CHAPTER XVI . OLCOTT'S ATTEMPT TO CENTRALIZE ALLAUTHORITY441888-1890-the long campaign waged by Olcott and his lieutenantRichard Harte-coincident with the Coues' assaults-the up roarin the Society- H . P . B . and Judge the target for attacks w ithinand without the Society-T he Theosophist wa ges w ar on theindependence of the Sections-bel ittles the Esoteric Section-threatens the dissolu tion of the American and British Sections-lauds "Adyar" as "the centre of the Movement"-longseries of derogatory articles-T he T heosophist the sole source of

information in India- attempts of H.P.B . and Judge publicly

and privately to restore harmony- Bertram Keightley's foolish

letter to Harte-Judg e writes direct to Olcott- re-affirms the

issues at stake- declares H .P.B . the heart of the Society as

wel l as the Movement-Olcott refuses to pub lish Judge's letter

-g ives extracts and defends Harte-declares himself the head

and front of the Society and the cause- H .P.B . takes action-

her article in Lucifer, A u g u s t , 1 8 89 - " A P u z z l e f r o m Ad y a r "

-she reprints some of Harte's fulminations-" Pure nonsense

to say that she is 'l oyal to the Theosophical Society and to

Ad yar' " - " l o y a l to death to the T heoso phica l Cause"-" There is no longer a 'Parent Society' " -- "It is abol ishedand replaced by an ag gregate b ody of Theosophical Societies,

all autonomous"-w ill leav e the Society at the first sign of dis-

loyal ty to the Cause-and will lead those who remain true .


20/735

xxii ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSPAGEHAPTER XVII. H. P . B . TAKES CHARGE OF THE T.S . INEUROPE67

E s o t e r i c a l l y , t h e g r e a t s t o r m o f 1 8 8 8 - 9 0 d u e t o t h e c l a s h b e -

tween human and divine nature-the Objects of the Movement

p r a c t i c a l , n o t t h e o r e t i c a l - t h e g u l f b e t w e e n t h e v i e w s o f O l c o t t

and his party and those personified by H. P . B. and Judg e-Olcott once more sobered by "A Puzzle from Adyar"-realizes

h e h a s g o n e t o o f a r - f e a r s f o r h i s b e l o v e d S o c i e t y - d e t e r m i n e s

t o g o o n c e m o r e t o E n g l a n d - r e a l i ze s t h a t t o r i s e i n r e b e l l i o n

m e a n s t o a l l y h i m s e l f w i t h C o u e s - a r r i v e s i n E n g l a n d l a t e i n

1889-met as always by H . P . B . w i t h a f f e c t i o n a n d c h a r i t y - h e a r t

warmed by the treatment accorded him-his fears allayed for

the moment-mak es a tour of the British Isl es-issues an

"Order" . delegating his Presidential powers for Europe toH. P . B . and an "Advisory Council"- "Bombay C onference"a d o p t s s t i r r i n g r e s o l u t i o n s i n s u p p o r t o f H . P . B . d u r i n g O l c o t t ' s

a b s e n c e - f r e s h P a r i s t r o u b l e s a f t e r O l c o t t ' s r e t u r n t o I n d i a -

he once more interferes and issues Presidential ukases-the

British and Continental Theosophists rise up in arms-Mrs .

Annie Besant joins the Society-becomes associate editor of

Lucifer a n d P r e s i d e n t o f t h e " B l a v a t s k y L o d g e " - s h e h e a d s t h e

i n s u r r e c t i o n a g a i n s t O l c o t t ' s p a p a l a c t i o n s - u n a n i m o u s d e m a n d

that H. P . B . t a k e d i r e c t i o n o f a f f a i r s i n E u r o p e - H . P . B . b o w s t o

the will of the European Theosophists-issues a Notice inLucifer a s s u m i n g f u l l a u t h o r i t y a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r S o c i e t y

in Europe-names it "The Theosophical Society in Europe"

a n d d e c l a r e s f o r d e m o c r a c y , A u g u s t , 1 8 9 0 - c a b l e s O l c o t t o f h e r

a c t i o n - O l c o t t s a v e s h i s f a c e b y a c c e p t i n g t h e f a c t s a n d r e p u d i -

a t i n g t h e f a c t o r s .

CHAPTER XVIII. DEATH OF H. P . B .-HER LAST MESSAGES 275H. P . B . d i e s M a y 8 , 1 8 9 1 - H e r l i f e a n o p e n b o o k t o f r i e n d a n dfoe-remains today as much a mystery as then-Theosophists

n e v e r s t u d i e d h e r l i f e i n t h e l i g h t o f h e r t e a c h i n g s - r e g a r d e d

personally even by her most devoted foll owers-ju dged at

second hand on hearsay and opinion by the world and b y

T h e o s o p h i s t s - w e i g h e d b y t r i f l e s - h e r t e a c h i n g s a n d h e r w o r k s

t h e t r u e e v i d e n c e o f h e r M i s s i o n a n d h e r n a t u r e - n o f a c t a d -

d u c e d b y h e r e v e r o v e r t h r o w n b y c o u n t e r - e v i d e n c e - h e r t h e o r i e s

a s u n i m p e a c h a b l e a s e v e r - h e r l i f e a n d h e r m e s s a g e a b s o l u t e l y

c o n s i s t e n t - h e r f o l l o w e r s a n d d e t r a c t o r s w e i g h e d i n s a m e s c a l e

make a sorry showing-her Messages to the American Theoso-phists prove her sage and prophet-her "dying declaration"-

"M y Books"--" Isis Unveiled" a Messag e from the Masters

- e v e r y w o r d o f h e r t e a c h i n g s f r o m t h e M a s t e r s o f t h e W i s d o m

- n o c h a r g e a g a i n s t h e r e v e r s u b s t a n t i a t e d h e r i n e x h a u s t i b l e

p h i l a n t h r o p y - t h e p r i c e s h e p a i d t o s e r v e m a n k i n d .

CHAPTER XIX. THE CRISIS IN THE SOCIETY . 3 9 3T h e g r e a t c r i s i s f o l l o w i n g t h e d e a t h o f H . P . B . - i n t h e e x o t e r i c

S o c i e t y - i n t h e E s o t e r i c S e c t i o n o r S c h o o l - h o w t h e c r i s i s w a s

met-Judge goes to London-summons a meeting of the "Coun-

c i l o f t h e E s o t e r i c S e c t i o n " - t h e C o u n c i l m e e t s M a y 2 7 , 1 8 9 1

-considers documents left by H . P . B .-affirms Judge H . P . B . ' s

representative-H . P . B . ' s l a s t w o r d s " Ke e p t h e L i n k u n b r o k e n "

C o u n c i l g o e s o n r e c o r d E s o t e r i c S c h o o l s h o u l d b e c o n t i n u e d


21/735

ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS x x inon lines laid by H . P .B .- Judg e and Annie Besant to conduct

the School-Council issues confidential circular to all members

of the E. S .T . , signed by all -Council resigns-address of Mrs .Besant and Judg e as Outer Heads to the School-- claim no

authority over the members save such as delegated by H .P.B.

CHAPTER XX ATTEMPTS TO SUPERSEDE H .P . B . ' s IN-FLUENCE02Position of the Exoteric Society follow ing H .P.B. 'a death-Olcott comes to London to attend Convention of British-European Section-g reat gathering of leading Theosophists-London Lodge not represented at Convention b ut sends letter--London Lodge declares its independence-action tacitly ac-cepted by Convention-speeches of Col . Olcott-M rs. Besant -Mr. Ju dge- entire harmony and concord -Lucifer memorialarticles-the workers scatter-Mrs . Besant tak es charg e of

Lucifer-her great work pub licly-Judge returns to America-

Olcott to India-his "triumphal procession"-M rs . Besant'a

procl amation of the nature and status of H . P .B . i n L u c i f e r ,

1890-91 -her famous speech in St . James' Hall, Augu st 30,

1891 "A Fragment of Autobiography"-declares she hasreceived messages from the Mahatmas since the death of H . P . B .

-the furore aroused-Olcott "v iews with alarm" the declara-

tions made-his Address to the " Adyar Parl iament" December,1891-H.P.B . "not as p erfect a channel as some others"-protests "against all attempts to create an H .J.B . s c h o o l , s e c t

or cult"- Judge sounds the true note for all T heosophists-

" f i r s t , S o l i d a r i t y , and second, Theosophical education"-- "Jas-

per Niemand" pu bl ishes a message from the Masters in ThePath, Augu st, 189 1 -Olcott stirred up- writes Judge-Judg epu bl ishes article on " Dogmatism in Theosophy "- Society

founded to destroy dog matism-qu otes H . P .B.- real object

Universal Brotherhood-not dogmatism to study,', teach and apply

Theosophy- members have equal rights to afar" or reject any

doctrines-but no right to impose their private'', views on others

-or promul gate them as o f f i c i a l tenets of the TES .

CHAPTER XXI. GROWING DIVERGENCES-OLCOTT RESIGNSAS PRESIDENT21The old issues once more aroused-The T heosophical Movement

one thing- the Theosophical Society quite another-the cri-

teria appl icable to Theosophical history- Altruism the self-

professed Object of the Fellow s of the T .S Altru ism and

Theosophy the self- pl edged objectives of the members of theE. S . T .- Fellows of the T .S . must b e weighed in the scales oftheir own conduct, not that of others-members of the Esoteric

Section by their allegiance to their voluntary Pl edges, not by

worldly standards-the war of ideas within a year after H .P . B . ' a

death-official report of the Adyar Convention of 1891- 01-

cott's Presidential Address-g reat importance of Olcott's

declarations-Judg e meets the issue- pu bl ishes' article on "The

Future and the Theosophical Society "- -qu otes a letter ofH. P .B. 's-her vision of the coming strife `a fe w earnestTheosophists"-- ''in a death strug gl e with nominal and am-

bitious Theosophists"- -the dangers now the same as alway s-

the Society not a "School for Occultism"- must flou rish on its

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xxiv ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTSmoral worth not on phenomena-members must b e "true to

t h e m s e l v e s " - J u d g e c o r r e c t s O l c o t t ' s P r e s i d e n t i a l r e m a r k s o nH. P . B .- Judge declares H . P . B . k new she was going-decriesa t t e m p t s t o c r e a t e b o g i e s - a t h u n d e r b o lt i n t h e S o c i e t y - O l c o t t

r e s i g n s t h e P r e s i d e n c y - J u d g e p u b l i s h e s o f f i c i a l c o r r e s p o n d e n c e

and takes charge as Vice-President, March, 1892-secret of

O l c o t t ' s s u d d e n r e s i g n a t i o n a m y s t e r y t o t h i s d a y - t h e h i d d e n

f a c t s d i s c l o s e d - O l c o t t i n d i s c r e e t a t L o n d o n i n s u m m e r o f 1 8 9 1

-charges of "g rave immorality" made by M iss Mull er-Mrs .

B e s a n t e x c i t e d b y t h e c h a r g e s - c o m e s t o N e w Y o r k t o s e e J u d g e

-demands Judge force Olcott'a resignation-Judge writes 01-

cott-sug gests he resign if charges are t r u e - O l c o t t d e n i e sc h a r g e s b u t t e n d e r s r e s i g n a t i o n - O l c o t t ' a f a t a l b l u n d e r - p r o u d

and sensitive- cannot endure contumely and calumny- Judge

w r i t e s h i m l o y a l l y .

CHAPTER XXII . CONVENTION OF 1892-OLCOTT WITH-DRAWS His RESIGNAT ION3 4C o n v e n t i o n o f A m e r i c a n S e c t i o n h e l d i n A p r i l , 1 8 9 2 , i m m e d i a t e l yf o l l o w i n g O l c o t t ' s r e s i g n a t i o n - g r e a t g r o w t h o f t h e S e c t i o n -l e t t e r s f r o m O l c o t t r e a d - J u dg e r e v i e w s t h e y e a r s i n c e H . P . B . ' sd e a t h - p a y s t r i b u t e t o A n n i e B e s a n t - c o n v e n t i o n r e s o l u t i o n s i nr e g a r d t o O l c o t t - O l c o t t r e q u e s t e d t o w i t h d r a w h i s r e s i g n a t i o n -r e q u e s t c a b l e d t o O l c o t t - O l c o t t r e p l i e s m u s t w a i t t o h e a r f r o ma l l t h e S e c t i o n s - C o n v e n t i o n r e - e l e c t s J u d g e G e n e r a l S e c r e t a r y -- v o t e s f o r J u d g e f o r P r e s i d e n t i n c a s e O l c o t t a d h e r e s t o h i sr e s i g n a t i o n - A m e r i c a n C o n v e n t i o n ' s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n t o B r i t i s hConvention for July, 1892 -advises same action in regard toO l c o t t ' s r e s i g n a t i o n a s i t s o w n - M r s . B e s a n t g e t s o ut p r i v a t e

c i r c u l a r u r g i n g J u d g e f o r P r e s i d e n t - O l c o t t w r i t e s t o B r i t i s h

Convention-intimates willingness to withdraw resignation-

C o n v e n t i o n n e v e r t h e l e s s v o t e s f o r J u d g e a n d t o a c c e p t r e s i g n a -

tion-Olcott in a quandary-encouraged by Judge-Judge sends

h i m m e s s a g e f r o m M a s t e r s - O l c o t t d e c i d e s t o w i t h d r a w r e s i g n a -

t i o n a n d r e m a i n P r e s i d e n t - J u d g e p u b l i s h e s O l e o t t ' a n o t i c e ' a n d

informs American Branches .

CHAPis XXIII. H. P .B .'s "SuccEssoRs" -T HE PUBLI-CATI ON OF" OLD DIARY LEAVES" 351

A d y a r P a r l i a m e n t a t e n d o f 1 8 92 - O l c o t t ' a P r e s i d e n t i a l a d d r e s s

- e x p l a i n s h i s r e s i g n a t i o n a s d u e t o i l l - h e a l t h - r e a d y n o w t o

c o n t i n u e t o t h e e n d a s a " s a c r i f i c e d e m a n d e d b y t h e b e s t i n t e r -

ests of the Society " -names Judge as his successor-adverts

once more to "Adyar" as the centre of the Mov ement-admits

Adyar Convention merely an informal gathering- " only 5

Branches out of 145 really doing satisfactory work" in the

Indian Section-Indian Branches mainly exist on paper-First

Object makes no appeal to Indian membership-troubl e in theE. S . T .-due to Mrs . B e s a n t ' s p r i v a t e c i r c u l a r p r e c e d i n g C o n -v e n t i o n o f B r i t i s h S e c t i o n - Ju d g e i s s u e s n o t i c e i n t h e E . S . T .-t h e S c h o o l h a s n o c o n n e c t i o n o f f i c i a l l y w i t h t h e T . S .-members

free to act according to their own judgment-M rs . B e s a n t ' s

p r i v a t e c i r c u l a r s t i r s u p O l c o t t ' s f r i e n d s - h e r a c t i o n a s c r i b e d t o

Judge's influence-M rs. B e s a n t i s s u e s c i r c u l a r t o t h e E s o t e r i c

S c h o o l e x p l a i n i n g h e r a c t i o n - J u d g e ' s e f f o r t s t o s h i e l d M r s .

Besant-and restore harmony in the Society and the E . S . T .-

w h y t h e c i r c u l a r w a s j o i n t l y s i g n e d - m e mb e r s t o o p r o n e t o f o l -

PAGS


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low authori ties-would not " culti vate self-reliance and develop

the intuit ion "- the bane of "successorship "-H. P . B . declaredin "Isis" that "aposto lic succ ession is a gross and palpable

fraud'' the "succ essorship" idea among Theosoph ists after

H.P.B. ' s death-Duc hesse de Pomar hail ed as H

.P.B . ' s " s u e -

cessor "-th en Annie Besant in Engl and and Judge in America

-Judge tells the reporters "H. P .B . was sui generis"--"she canhave no successor"- claims of mediums and "Occul tists" to

be H .P.B. 's "successor" -the case of Henry B. Foulke-Judge's

two l etters on the subject to the Wilkes-Barre Times-Mrs .

Besant reprin ts Judge's letters in Lucifer-Olcott declares him-

self on "suecessorship" claims-" Blavatsky nascitwr, non fit"

-Olcot t begins the publicatio n of "Old Diary Leaves" in

The Theosophist for March, 1892-their effect on the Society

and the Movement-"Old Di ary Leaves" ostensibl e purpo se to

give a "true history o f th e Theosophical Society "-the actual

motive to p u l l down H .P. B . to t he common level-the real animus

not disclosed till 1895-contradictory views of H .P.B. held by

Olcott and others-the "real H. P .B. " unknown to Olcott-some hints for the intuiti onal-minded on "our Brother, H.P.B ."

CHAPTER XXIV . CONTROVERSY OVER H .P.B . 'S STATUS ASAGENT OF THE MAS 1'. t t Sonstant belittlement o f H . P . B . public ly and privately-ema-nates from Olcott and Sinn ett-cou ld not endur e her pre-eminence-Judge's difficult situation-boun d to defend H .P.B .-realizes must antagon ize promin ent leaders-steps taken in

the E . S . T .-' We have not been deserted' -" Autho rship of

the 'Secret Doctrine' "-ot her articles in The Path- the old

contr oversy between Mr . Sinnett and H.P.B.-- 1 The earth ch ainof globes' -Londo n Lodge lectur es-W . Scott Elliott claims

"inspiration"-Alexander Fullerton's faux pas-Judge dis-

claims responsibili ty for Fullerton-co rrects misconceptio ns in

Th e Path-Ju dge quotes Masters' certif icates on the "Secret

Doctrin e''-letter f rom Masters to Francesca Arundale-shows

cond itio ns in Lond on Lod ge as far back as 1884-Miss Arun-

dale's letter unknow n to members at time-the co ntro versy be-

comes violent-Jud ge writ es on "Masters, Adepts, Teachers

and Disciples "-Sinnett comes out in the open-declares H . P .B .

"und er other inf luences" than Masters-affirms he is still i n

communication w ith Mahatmas-Judge and Mrs . Besant tr y to

quiet the storm while uphold ing H . P .B.- Olcott speaks in praise

of Sin nett-the situation by t he early fall o f 1893-a sharp and

sheer c leavage over t eachin gs-and over status of H .P.B. asagent of the Masters .

380

CHAPTER XXV. ANNIE BESANT IN AMERICA, 1892-3 . . 405Mrs. Besant invi ted to visit In dia again in f all of 1892-goes

to America instead-her American tou r a great success-return s

to England loud in praise of Mr . Judge-Olcott writes the

American Conventi on in Apri l, 1893-r aises the "hero wbrship "

bogy onc e more-Judge speaks as General Secretary American

Section- disclaims all hero worship and dogmatism but in sists

those who r everence H . P . B . have perfect righ t to express their

views-warns against official pr omulgations on matters of indi-

vidual opinion-Mrs. Besant uphol ds members' r ights to freedom

of ind ivid ual belief and expression-W . S c o t t E l l i o t t ' s c l a i m s t o


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"inspiration" discussed-" authority" in the T . S .-no doc-

trines ""authorit ative "-all must stand on th eir own merit-

Mrs. Besant qu otes H . P . B . on freedom of opinion in the T . S .-E. T. Stu rdy takes a hand-Stu rdy a member of the E. S . T .-object s to c laims of `messages from Masters"-Mrs . Besant

writ es on "Guru s and Chelas"-op poses Stur dy' s views-the

whol e subject o f "Mahatma messages" on ce more to t he fore

--c laims of "Jasper Niemand" i n The Path article--claims of

Mrs . Besant to r ecent "messages" fro m Masters-Mrs . Besant

now th e foremost figure in the Society-Olcott and Sinnett wo r-

ried over Mrs. Besant 'a ch ampionship of Jud ge and H . P . B .

CHAPTER XXVI. BEGINNINGS OF THE "JUDGE CASE" 425

Mrs. Besant publishes in L u c i f e r for Apri l, 1893, Judge's letterto Olco tt i n 1891 abou t th e "Jasper Niemand" message-

Sturdy' s articl e really a reply to Judge's letter to Oleott- Ol-

cott joi ns in the fray-" N.D.K." writ es in The Theosophist-challenges Judge's statements in t he letter to Olco tt-Oleott

reprints Sturdy's article includ ing p aragraphs omitted by Mrs .

Besant-Walter R . Old and S . V. Edge-Old a member of t he

"E. S . T . Council "-Edge assistant on The Theosophist-theywrite in T h e T h e o s o p h i s t on "Theosophie Freethought"-t he

article a veiled attack on Jud ge-they tell of the "Mahatma

Message" at t he "E. S . T . Council" meeting of May 27, 1891-they question the b o n a f i d e s of Jud ge and th e genui neness of

the "message"-Old and Edge undoub tedly inspir ed by Olcott

-the question o f "Master' s seal"-t he whol e subject o f "mes-

sages from Masters" di scussed-H . P . B . 's statement-" Occul t

phenomena can never be proved"-The public ation of "Theo-sophic Freethought" a violation of t he E . S .T. p ledges of Old and

Edge-taken up b y Mrs . Besant in the Esoteric Section -Old and

Edge suspended fr om membership in the E . S .T. in August, 1893

-the ci rcul ar issued to members of t he E . S .T. by Mrs. Besant

and Judge-Olcott fol lows up t he attack on Judge and H . P .B .-the White Lotus Day meeting at Adyar, May 8, 189 3-th e quan-

dary of Olcot t and his allies-can Judge be unseated in confi -

dence of memberst-H. P . B . cannot be "buried" whil e Judgelives-Judge invin cible with Mrs . Besant 's suppo rt-t he prob-

lem to win o ver Mrs . Besant against Judge and H .P.B .-be-

ginnings of the conspiracy against Judge .

CHAPTER XXVII. MRS. BESANT CHANGES SIDES . . 441

Judge and Olcott personif y the opposing i ssues-the First and

Second Sections v e r s u s the Third Sectio n esoteric aspects of the

Movement v e r s u s the esoteric " The Judge case" t he external

phase of th e battl e-the momento us year of 189 3-B ertram

geightley th e unconscious agent in the subornation of Mrs .

Besant-Keightley o riginally a staunch supporter o f H. P . B .-gets in trouble with Mabel Collins--sent by H .P.B. to America

in 189 0-po ses as her "repr esentative "-H . P . B . issues famous

No t i ce o f Au g ust 9, 1890- d isav o ws Ber t ram Keigh t ley 's

"teachings"-says Judge her "sole r epresentative"-recalls

Keight ley to Europ e-sends him t o Ind ia-he becomes General

Secretary Indian Section -becomes an adherent of Olcot t's-

falls under influence of G . N. Chakravarti-Chakravarti a

reel


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"psychi c "- poses as a Chela "-Keightl ey comes to America

in spring of 1893- attends American Section Convention-in -

v i t e d by Judge to select Brahmin and Buddh ist Delegates to

World' s Parliament of Religions at Chicago Fair-Chakravarti

chosen-Judge's effort s to allay Brahminical ho stility to the

T. S .-he warns of "A plot against the Theosophi cal Society "-Keight ley a close friend o f Mrs . Besant-h e goes to Eng land

from America-works on Mrs . Besant-she begins to grow sus-

piciou s of Judge-Chakravarti comes to Lond on-Mrs . Besant

becomes one of his wo rshippers-adopts " ascetic" practices-

her intimacy with Chakravarti-Mrs . Besant, Miss Muller, an d

Chakravarti come to America to attend the "Parliament of

Religion s"-the great success of t he Parliament-Mrs. Besant

and Chakravarti share honors as the great feature of . t h e

"Parliament"-Mrs. Besant succu mbs to the lures held out-goes to Indi a in the fall of 189 3-her visit there a regal

triumph-h ow Olcott set the stage-his cont emptuou s review of

Judge's Ooean o f Theosophy -prepares t he " Ad yar Co n ven -t i o n , " Chri stmas, 1893 -hi s President ial Address-laud ation sof Mrs . B esant-sees in Mrs . Besant a messiah from th e Masters

- t he ep i p han y o f M rs . Besant- int imates a coming storm

understood to refer to Judge-the secret meeting behind t he

publ ic address-the Christmas night c oncl ave at Adyar in 1893

-Mrs . Besant, Col. Olcot t, Walter R. Old, and others plan theassault on Jud ge-the meetin g unkn own t o the members-Mrs .

Besant chosen to hur l the thu nderbolt p repared-she writes aformal letter to Oleott Feb . 6, 1894- makes charges against

Judge-demands investigation -next day Olcott wr ites off icially

to Jud ge-demands he resign or stand t rial for "misusing

Mahatmas' names and handwri tin gs. "

xxvii

PAGE

CHAPTER XXVIII . THE AMERICAN SECTION SUPPORTSJUDGE68The real issue Theosoph y or t he Soci ety-Ch elas or mediums-Brot herhood o r sectarianism-how Judg e acted on receipt o fOlcott 's ''ult imatum''-addr esses a circ ular March 15, 1894,to all members of th e T . S .-l ays bare the facts-r efuses t oresign-announces his readiness to meet any charges-deniesany wro ng-doing-admits receiving and deli verin g messagesfrom Masters-declares them genuine-never cou rted pu blici ty-says no o ne but a genuin e chela can determine what is or is

not a "message"-the charges a distinc t vio lation o f Consti-

tut ion o f Soc iety-make a dogma out o f Masters and Messages

-an assault o n li berty of conscience-wi ll meet his accusers-

Judge's circul ar widely di stributed-its frankness and fairness

in meeting all issues-Bertram Keightley and George Mead re-

ceive copies of ch arges and Judge's reply-their sense of ho nor

and fair pl ay outraged-th ey address an open l etter to Col .

Olcott as General Secretaries of Ind ian and Bri tish Sections-

charge Oleott with violation of Constitution and the princi-

ples of Brot herhood -declare the matter at issue one of personal

opinion and barred fro m constitutional attack-Olcott follows

up his first letter to Judge with another-in vites Judge to

`prove himself inno cent" and suspends him from Vice-

Presidency-sets the "trial" to be held at London in July ,

1894-Mrs . Besant l eaves India to return to Engl and and carrythe fight against Judge before the British Section Conv ention


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-the American Sectio n Convention meets i n April, 1894-unanimously votes confldence i n Judge-re-elects him General

Secretary-c harges Olcott with v i o l a t i o n of the C onstitution-

demands t hat if Judge's "messages" are inv estigated t hose of

Sinnett , Mrs . Besant, Col., Olcott and others be also investigated

at the same time-decl ares for f reedom of opi nio n and belief

in th e Society-v otes to reimburse Judge for th e expenses he

has been put to because of the charges against hi m .

CHAPTER XXIX. THE "JUDICIAL ENQUIRY" IN LONDON . 493Olcott' s position i n spring of 1894-determined to "fight it ou t

to t he hilt" this time-feels master of the situation du e to

alliance with Mrs. Besant-h is other aids-Walter Old's help-

Old determines to return to England wit h Mrs . B esant-Old an

astrolo ger and "psychic " with many English friends-Olcott' 8

panegyrics on Mrs. Besant-h is signed artic le in The Theoso-

p h i s t on Mrs . Besant-his attitu de toward Judge contr asted withhis deification of Mrs . Besant-makes Mrs . Besant h is vice-

regal agent-grants her carte b lanche in A ustralasia-the sig-

nificance of this-Olcott and Mrs . Besant natural auto crats-

no i dea of democracy-th e bombshell o f Beightley and Mead's

rebellion -the situation reversed-Olcott now f earful of defeat-

consults hi s advisers-sends out a new Official Notice-tries to

explain situation-announces his decision to go to England-his

"explanation" examined-the b attlefield transferred to Eng-

land-The "Judic ial Committee" meets at Lond on in Jul y, 1894

-Mrs. Besant, Olco tt and o thers confer the case thrashed outin Committee-Judge attends the session of the Committee-

remains silent-Committee in h ard case-poi nts raised by Judge

inescapable-Judg e annou nces his readiness to be "tried" -th e

Committee cont roll ed by Besant and Olcott-t hey fear Judge

can "pro ve his innoc ence" if tri ed-they reverse themselves-

Olcot t makes a speech- declares case canno t con stitu tio nally be

tried-the Committee decides it has "no juri sdiction " -the

actio n taken a compl ete exposure of t he animus of the persecu-

t i o n - t he " En q u i r y " a farce .

CHAPTER XXX . BRITISH CONVENTION DISMISSES CASEAGAINST JUDGE19

Effect of the decision of the "Judic ial Committee"-Theoso-

phists at London for t he British Convention sense the wrong d one

Judge-Mrs. Besant and Olcot t try to "save their face"-they demand a "Jury of ho nour " -Judge's reply-w here are

the competent "occ ulti sts"?-who can tell whether a "Mes-

sage" is or is not genu ine?-Mrs . Besant p rop oses the matter be

placed before the Brit ish Convention as a "Jury "- -Judge

promptly consents-Mrs . Besant and Judge read Statements to

the Convention-Mrs . Besant admits th e charges due to "per-

sonal hatred" of Judge by "certain persons"-Old and Edge

indi cated as the "guilt y persons"-Mrs . Besant d enies respon -

sibilit y-says she sponsored ch arges for "Judge's sake "-ad-mits Judge is in communi cation wit h Masters-says the "mes-

sages" in t he "Master's script "-- but says she believes Masters

did n ot "di rectly" precipitate them-acquits Judge of di shon-

orable int entions-apolo gizes for her share in the case-asks

PAGE


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ANALYTICAL TABLE OF CONTENTS a x i s

Judge's forgiveness "for wrongs don e him"-Olcott adds a

foo tnote to Mrs. Besant' s Statement-says he asked her t o

make the charges-betrays himself-Judge makes his Statement

-says he did not couple Mrs . B e s a n t ' a n a m e w i t h t h e c h a r g e s

t o s a v e h e r - d e n i e s " f o r g i n g t h e h a n d w r i t i n g o f M a h a t m a s ' -a d m i t s h a v i n g d e l i v e r e d M e s s a g e s - a f f i r m s t h e i r g e n u i n e n e s s -

r e f u s e s t o s a y h o w t h e y w e r e d o n e - d e n i e s r i g h t o f a n y o n e t o

make unverifiable charges-says anyone can receive Messages

who "lives the life"-never tried to influence others-says

handwrit ing, seals and "precipitation" not a "proof " that

M e s s a g e s a r e f r o m M a s t e r s - f o r g i v e s h i s e n e m i e s - M r s . B e s a n t ' s

and Mr . J u d g e ' s S t a t e m e n t s a n a l y z e d a n d c o m p a r e d - t h e B r i t i s h

Convention unanimously accepts the Statements made and de-

clares the "Judge case" a "closed incident"-the "Occultism

a n d T r u t h " c i r c u l a r d i s t r i b u t e d a f t e r a d j o u r n m e n t o f t h e C o n -

vention-Mrs. B e s a n t ' s Lucif er a r t i c l e o n t h e " J u d i c i a l En-

quiry"-her e v a s i o n s a n d m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s - t h e s i g n e r s o f t h e

"Occultism and Truth" circular-show who were behind thepersecuti on of Judge-what " possessed" h is defamers-were

Mrs. B e s a n t , O l c o t t a n d t h e r e s t d e l i b e r a t e m a l i c i o u s a s s a s s i n s of

reputation of Judge?-they were "occult failures"-could not

discriminate between truth and falsehood-moved by the same

s e l f - r i g h t e o u s r e l e n t l e s s n e s s a s r e l i g i o u s b i g o t s i n a l l t i m e s -

Olcott's Parthian shot after the Convention-his article on

"T . S . S o l i d a r i t y a n d I d e a l s ."

CHAPTER XXXI. THE "EASTERN DIVISION" AND "WEST-ERN DIVISION"59

T h e c a l m a f t e r t h e s t o r m o f t h e " J u d i c i a l C o m m i t t e e " i n J u l y ,

1 8 9 4 - t h e l e s s o n o f t h e " E n q u i r y "-" o c c u l t p h e n o m e n a c a n n o tb e p r o v e d " - n o p a r t o f t h e b u s i n e s s o f t h e T h e o s o p h i c a l S o -

c i e t y - p h e n o m e n a n o e v i d e n c e o f m o r a l i t y o r e t h i c s - c a n b e p e r -

formed by mediums and "black magicians" as well as Chelas

and Adepts-H . P . B . ' a m i s s i o n p hi l o s op h i c a l a n d e t h i c a l - n o t t o

s u p p l y a d e m o n s t r a t i o n o f t h e O c c u l t S c i e n c e s - h e r p h e n o m e n a

incidental and unavoidable to her Mission-phenomena never

made publi c by either H . P . B . o r J u d g e i n f i r s t i n s t a n c e - t h e

"Judge case" a testing o ut of the "Esoteric Sectio n"-fur-

t h e r e x t r a c t s f r o m t h e Preliminary Memorandum-ru les a n d p u r -

p o s e o f t h e E . S . T . - c o n d u c t o f O l c o t t , B e s a n t , e t a l . , g r o s s v i o -

l a t i o n o f t h e i r o w n P l e d g e s i n O c c u l t i s m - c l e a r e v i d e n c e o f t h e i r

t o t a l f a i l u r e a s " p r o b a t i o n a r y C h e l a s " - t h e w a r n i n g s g i v e n t o

Mrs . Besant in the School-aftermath of the "Judicial En-quiry"--how t h e m a t t e r w a s s e t t l e d f o r t h e t i m e i n t h e E . S . T .

- t h e j o i n t c i r c u l a r o f M r s . B e s a n t a n d M r . J u d g e t o t h e M e m -

b e r s , A u g u s t , 1 8 9 4 - i t s h i s t o r y a n d r e - o r g a n i z a t i o n r e c i t e d - t h e

agreement reached-Mrs . B e s a n t t o c o n d u c t t h e " E a s t e r n D i v i -

sion" and Mr . J u d g e t h e " W e s t e r n D i v i s i o n " - - ' ' t i m e m u s t b e

allowed" for the restoration of tranquillity-Mr . Judge the

real Agent of H. P . B . i n t h e S c h o o l- M r s . B e s a n t " R e c o r d e r o f

t h e t e a c h i n g s " - h e r f a i l u r e a s " R e c o r d e r " - h e r c o r r u p t i o n o f

the "Secret Doctrine"-her spurious Third Volume-her bold-

n e s s i n p u b l i s h i n g m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f f a c t a n d p h i l o s o ph y -

she puts an utter falsehood in the mouth of H . P . B . - d e c l a r e s

H. P . B . "professed faith in the gods "-Mrs . B e s a n t ' s l o s s o fe t h i c a l b a l a n c e w h e n e v e r h e r s t a t e m e n t s q u e s t i o n e d o r h e r a c -

t i o n s i m p u g n e d .

PAGE


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PAGE

CHAPTER XXXII Westminster Gazette ATTACKS THESOCIETY74

The situation i n the e a r l y f a l l of 1894-Judge returns t oAmer i c a- Ol c ot t an d Keight ley return to India-Mrs. Besant

goes to Australia-Walter Old remains in Engl and-r enews the

fight on Judge-evidences of collusion-Old pr ovides Edmund

Garrett with ammuniti on-Garrett o pens a grand assault in t he

W e s t m i n s t e r G a z e t t e - r i d i c u l e s Theosophy- pokes fun at Olcott

and Mrs . Besant-c alls them dupes of H.P . B . and Judge-Gar-

rett an h onest man-avows hi s animus-d eclares himself enemy

of Theosophy-his purp ose to destroy T . S .-his s e r i e s o f a r t i c l e s

published in book fo rm-their tremendous circ ulation and ef-

feet-Old writ es the Gazette--admits his complici ty-r egrets to

drag in Mrs . Besant and Olcot t-exposes his enmity to Jud ge

-co nfesses unwit tingl y the secret conf erence at Adyar, Christ-

mas, 1893 - t h e " Ju d ge c a s e " planned then by Old, Besant,

Olcot t and oth ers-decries H. P.B . as well as Judge-the enemies

of Judge moved by "pr ide and wounded vanity"- the steps

taken by Judge after the W e s t m i n s t e r G a z e t t e attack-his

l e t t e r to th e New York Su n and the Gazette-h is famous E . S . T .

Circular o f November 3, 1894-"By Master's Order" he tells

the E . S .T . members the whole story-"b lack magic" v e r s u s

"white magic "-Mrs. Besant the unconscious too l and victi m

of Chakravarti -th e real issue between the , Brahminism of th e

Orient and the Theosophy of H . P .B .-the Society will stand or

fall by H . P .B.- dep oses Mrs. Besant fro m her Co-Headship in

the E. S . T .-Jud ge info rms Mrs . Besant i n Australia by c able of

his action-Mrs . Besant ' s circul ar from Colombo, Decem

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