Theos-Talk Archives (July 2004 Message tt00051)

Bart recently wrote on Theos-Talk:

". . . I BELIEVE that it [the cup and saucer phenomenon] 
was faked. . . . "

IF as Bart believes this cup and saucer was faked, 
WHAT ELSE was faked??

Could the appearances of the Masters have also been
faked? Consider the article BELOW which I wrote several
years ago. 

I wonder if Bart or some other poster on Theos-Talk will
publicly comment on these contentions.

Daniel

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Muehlegger Cited Cases where Blavatsky had Confederates
Appearing as Masters or Messengers of the Masters

by Daniel H. Caldwell

In November 2001, Brigitte Muehlegger wrote about Madame 
Blavatsky's "conjuring of 'phenomena' and Master visitations". She 
cited the following cases to illustrate how Blavatsky faked "Master 
visitations":

(1) ". . . in 1876 . . . Blavatsky orchestrated the appearance of 
an 'elemental' in her New York apartment by the simple 
means of promising a maid five dollars if she would dress for the 
part. . . . " See R. B. Westbrook's account at Blavatsky Archives. 
According to Westbrook, the "elemental" was a "special messenger" 
from the "Brothers".

(2) "[In 1879]. . . Baburao had been hired by Thackersey at 
Blavatsky's request to deliver goods from 'Master Goolab Singh' [to 
Henry Olcott](see Old Diary Leaves, second series,46-61. . . ." 
Muehlegger wrote in even greater detail about this at: 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/4879

(3) Muehlegger also mentioned "some of the later 
Master 'appearances' like the Christofolo doll incident in Adyar." 
This reference by Muehlegger is to Emma Coulomb's accounts in which 
Coulomb described how Blavatsky had orchestrated various appearances 
of the Masters.

Emma Coulomb wrote:

"Let us see for what purpose the doll was made. This was to give a 
convincing and material proof of the existence of the brothers [the 
Mahatmas], as their (said) invisible presence did not fully satisfy 
the truthseekers. "

"Among the many apparitions to which this doll has been instrumental, 
I will choose one seen by Mr. Ramaswamier, in December, 1881. The 
Mahatma he saw in his astral body on the balcony at the head-quarters 
of the Theosophical Society in Bombay, on the memorable night of 
December, 1881, was no one else than Monsieur Coulomb, with the 
doll's head on his own." 

This appearance of the Master was also seen by Henry Olcott. 

Richard Hodgson in his 1885 Report wrote about Madame Blavatsky using 
confederates:

"I cannot regard Colonel Olcott's testimony as of any scientific 
value. In particular, his testimony to the alleged 'astral' 
appearance [of the Master Morya] in New York proves, in my opinion, 
no more than that he saw someone in his room, who may have been an 
ordinary Hindu, or some other person, disguised, as a Mahatma for the 
purpose, and acting for Madame Blavatsky. And the same may be said 
of all his testimony to apparitions of Mahatmas."

"I need not here say much on the other alleged appearances of 
Mahatmas, in either their ordinary physical or their 'astral' 
bodies. A confederate in disguise is generally an easy and 
sufficient explanation of them." 

>From what Muehlegger wrote and cited above, she may be suggesting 
that many of Henry S.Olcott's encounters with the Masters can be 
reasonably explained by assuming that a confederate pretending to be 
an Adept or Master duped Olcott.

Let us now examine Olcott' encounter in 1876 with the adept Ooton 
Liatto in light of the above cases. 

Henry Olcott wrote:

"...I was reading in my room yesterday (Sunday) when there came a tap 
at the door---I said 'come in' and there entered the [younger] Bro
[ther] with another dark skinned gentleman of about fifty....We took 
cigars and chatted for a while.... I asked Liatto if he knew Madam B
[lavatsky]....the elder Bro[ther]...[said] that with her permission 
they would call upon her. I ran downstairs---rushed into Madams 
parlour---and---there sat these same two identical men smoking with 
her and chatting....I said nothing but rushed up stairs again tore 
open my door and---the men were not there---I ran down again, they 
had disappeared--- I . . . looked out the window---and saw them 
turning the corner...." 

Commenting on this 1876 account, K. Paul Johnson in "The Masters 
Revealed" wrote:

". . . . there is LITTLE DOUBT that two real adepts visited Olcott in 
New York." p. 62. Caps added.

In light of the cases cited by Muehlegger, can one reasonably 
conclude that "real" adepts visited Olcott in New York?

According to Muehlegger, it was in the same year 1876 that "Blavatsky 
orchestrated the appearance" of a messenger of the "Brothers" 
(Masters). Muehlegger reminds her readers that this appearance of a 
messenger was done by the "simple means of promising a maid five 
dollars if she would dress for the part. . . . " 

Does Muehlegger also believe that Blavatsky orchestrated the 
appearance of Ooton Liatto and the older gentleman for Olcott's 
benefit? Did Blavatsky find two persons (for hire?) who would dress 
for the part of playing two real adepts and deceive Olcott? Or does 
she somehow agree with Paul Johnson that two real adepts (i.e. not 
confederates) came to Olcott's residence?

In light of the evidence cited by Muehlegger herself, would not 
Muehlegger agree that Hodgson's following observation can be equally 
and reasonably applied to Olcott's encounter with Ooton Liatto? 

"I cannot regard Colonel Olcott's testimony as of any scientific 
value. In particular, his testimony to the alleged 'astral' 
appearance [of the Master] in New York proves, in my opinion, no more 
than that he saw someone in his room . . . , disguised, as a Mahatma 
[or adept] for the purpose, and acting for Madame Blavatsky. . . . "

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