Theos-Talk Archives (February 1998 Message tt00170)

--------------E425C1C0A8E3A31DC06F68D1


Lmhem111@aol.com wrote:

> There was a lot of controversy about the relationship between Judge and Madame
> Tingley, all having to do with claims of succession. In THE THEOSOPHICAL
> MOVEMENT, it says Judge "recognized her true occult position several years
> before his death and approved her activities as a psychometer". (p. 268) I
> would like to know abou this myself. Very curious ! Did he just accept willy-
> nilly her psychic messages from wherever?
>

Dear Lmhem111,

You are right that a controversy existed about "claims of succession" following
the death of William Q. Judge.  However, your quote from "The Theosophical
Movement" is not complete and is taken out of context.    Your questions may be
answered once it is seen that the phrase quoted is the conclusion reached by E. T.
Hargrove in a circular written by Hargrove, in which  "Hargrove alleges that Mr.
Judge had recognized [Tingley's]  'true occult position' several years before his
death and approved of her activities as a 'psychometer.'"  This is an important
distinction between what Mr. Judge actually thought and wrote and what E. T.
Hargrove alleged that Judge had done.  Mr. Hargrove may or may not have been in a
position to report accurately on Mr. Judge's views.   My reading of Mr. Judge's
writings and his history as contained in "The Theosophical Movement" is that Judge
did not "just accept willy-nilly" anyone's psychic messages, but did his own
thinking on this as on other matters.

Does anyone know upon what E. T. Hargrove based his statements?

Best Regards,

Wes Amerman