Theos-Talk Archives (August 2001 Message tt00128)

Monday, August 13, 2001




Dear Dan:

The passage quoted from Mr. Crosbie is (as far as I have been
able to determine) alone.

I have not come across others in which he refers to this affair.

As to his earlier words, letters, etc, I would hazard a guess,
that while a member of the Point Loma THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY (and
not in close touch with Mrs. T. until he was asked to come there)
I have to assume that they were said in all honesty at the time
they were produced.

If later some emergent evidence made a difference to an earlier
view, then I would in turn suggest that he expressed an honest
expression of difference. Something made a change. I think we
all have had analogous experiences in our lives.

Best wishes,

Dallas

======================



-----Original Message-----
From: D.Caldwell/M.Graye [mailto:blafoun@azstarnet.com]
Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2001 3:00 PM
To: Wes Amerman; Compiler
Cc: dalval14@earthlink.net; richeroo@earthlink.net;
ultinla@juno.com; eldon@theosophy.com; otownley@excite.com;
davidgro@webspan.net; carson@blavatsky.net; nous@btinternet.com;
LeonMaurer@aol.com; Caldwell, Daniel
Subject: Robert Crosbie's 1907 opinion of Katherine Tingley

SUBJECT: Robert Crosbie's 1907 opinion of Katherine Tingley

Dallas Tenbroeck has recently allowed Katinka Hesselink on her
website to
publish a complete copy of "autobiographical notes" written by
Robert
Crosbie. In these notes dated March 24th, 1907, Crosbie writes:

"I went to Point Loma at Mrs. Tingley's urgent request to assist
in the
proposed work, and was there for two years, helping to prepare
the way for
the expected developments, before I began to get back the touch I
had lost.
I am slow to turn back from any task I have set myself, and am
prone to
excuse inconsistencies and deviation in others, so that although
I had begun
to doubt, and to see, it was more than a year afterwards before I
saw so
clearly and unmistakably that I took occasion to tell Mrs. T. the
facts as I
saw them, and to state my intention to withdraw from all
connection with
her. She tried of course in every way to change my determination,
but
finding me unchangeable, she let me go, and as I afterwards
heard, gave out
that she had sent me away for 'bad conduct'--just what I do not
know. This
of course, to 'save her own face' as the Chinese say. I am quite
will aware
of her capacities in the above direction form the history of
others who had
discovered her real character, and left; there is no slander too
low or mean
for her to use in such cases to justify herself. Sorry as I am to
say it,
such is the character of Katherine Tingley, the Leader of the
Theosophical
Movement Throughout the World, as she styles herself--(there is
more of it
that is simply too nauseating to write.) It was a hard schooling
for me, but
it had its good uses and effects. I feel no enmity towards her; I
truly pity
her and would help her do right any time it might be in my power.
I also
feel most deeply towards those who are held in mental bondage by
her; but
nothing can be done--they must open their own eyes, they mare not
in a
condition to have them opened by anyone else."
Quoted from:
http://www.geocities.com/ondkh/his/dtb_7.htm#bionotes

These are quite strong words and one wonders exactly what Robert
Crosbie is
referring to. Dallas, are there other letters or documents by
Crosbie that
shed more light and give more details on the above?

More light needs to be thrown on Crosbie's words because it is
now known
that less than five years BEFORE Crosbie had written the above,
he had in a
public address (1902) spoken highly of Mrs. Tingley:

". . . we who have the privilege of assembling at this place and
taking
part in this ceremony of sweet and grateful remembrance---know
that the
establishment of this great Center [by Mrs Tingley at Point Loma,
Calfornia] is a realization of what William Q. Judge lived for,
worked for,
hoped for, and we cannot but feel deep in our hearts that he
knows and
rejoices with us today.

"We feel that he knows of the self-sacrificing efforts made by
the faithful
ones, and that those efforts have been called forth by his chosen
successor
[Mrs Tingley], of whom he said, "she is true as steel, as clear
as diamond,
and as lasting as time."

"By her work has she [Mrs Tingley] shown to all men her fitness
to
demonstrate the principles laid down by H.P. Blavatsky and W.Q.
Judge, by
making them practical in the daily life of mankind.

"Her [Mrs Tingley's] work and our work stand today as an offering
of
gratitude and love to that noble soul and loving human heart,
whom we knew
as W.Q. Judge."
Quoted from:
http://members.tripod.com/davidgreen_2/robertcrosbie.html

Dallas, can you throw any additional light (by citing evidence in
the form
of letters and documents) on this remarkable, radical change of
position by
Crosbie?

Daniel