Theos-Talk Archives (December 2004 Message tt00388)

Dec 27, 2004

Dear Friend Anand:

Somehow I think you are missing the point. Do you think you are aiding the
cause of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY ?  

Don't you think that the TS exists because of THEOSOPHY ?  

I wonder if you know what THEOSOPHY is ?  

Have you actually read H P B's The KEY TO THEOSOPHY ?

I think about what you write. You are an enthusiast for the THEOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY, which is good, providing you know what the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
actually stands for.

But, you will have to pardon me, as it seems from what you write you are
ignorant of many of the aspects of the history of recent THEOSOPHICAL
MOVEMENT (1875 to date), or you would not make some of the baseless and
inaccurate statements that you do.  

It is also quite apparent that you have read little or nothing of what W. Q.
Judge wrote. Your question, as phrased by you, is redundant, provocative as
well as unbrotherly. Do you know that Mr. Judge was one of the founders of
the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY?  

You appear to me, excuse the characterization, to be a brash newcomer with
much to learn, and, instead of asking questions you produce inaccurate
statements. I wonder what the senior members of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
think of them? 

May I suggest some study and a more careful set of expressions? 

Further: Have you observed that the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY was originated to
fulfil three objects?  


"ENQUIRER. What are the objects of the "Theosophical Society"? 
 
THEOSOPHIST. They are three, and have been so from the beginning.

(1.) To form the nucleus of a Universal Brotherhood of Humanity without
distinction of race, colour, or creed. 

2.) To promote the study of Aryan and other Scriptures, of the World's
religion and sciences, and to vindicate the importance of old Asiatic
literature, namely, of the Brahmanical, Buddhist, and Zoroastrian
philosophies. 

(3.) To investigate the hidden mysteries of Nature under every aspect
possible, and the psychic and spiritual powers latent in man especially. 

These are, broadly stated, the three chief objects of the Theosophical
Society."
The KEY TO THEOSOPHY p. 39.


If one desires to discover what THEOSOPHY is, then by studying the basic
books and articles written by Mme. H P Blavatsky, the accredited Agent of
the Masters of Wisdom, you may discover a part of the following:


FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF THEOSOPHY   

1.) the individual immortality of all Monads that fill the entirety of
Space, this includes the least as well as the highest of Spiritual Souls; 

2.) the common bond of Karma (law) which serves as a basis for all
interaction, as it unites the causal motives for all action, done by
anything or anyone, with the exact results returning to the individual being
that generated them;  

3.) a process of evolution that is continuous and extends from the
smallest part of the vast UNIVERSE to its utmost limits, the least has the
same potentials of the most advanced; and is for ever in contact with every
other entity or part of the whole Universe;
 
4.) a common goal for all units has been called: SPIRITUAL PERFECTION.
It is open for all, and embraces all that can be known of the Universe and
its uncountable components. That is: Maha-Buddhi, or, Universal WISDOM.

As far as I can determine, there is no "Judge Society."  

1	What do you mean by that designation?  

2	How do you detect any "hatred" of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY ?  

H P B, Olcott and Judge were the only three of the original founders of the
THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY (1875) in New York who sustained and maintained it till
their death. Mr. Judge was appointed Vice President of the THEOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY by Olcott. This was done on the basis of the Masters' order. 

"1888, Dec. 27-29th WQJ Appointed Vice-President T.S.

On December 27-29th, 1888 at a customary, but informal, annual
Convention held at the T S Adyar Headquarters, Col. Olcott PTS nominated Mr.
Judge Vice-President. (CWB X, p. XXVIII).  

1888		
Another resolution was passed on a policy of reorganizing the T S on
lines of autonomous Sections. In 1890 Mr. Judge was officially elected
Vice-President under new Rules made by the General Council T S under Col.
Olcott.
OLD DIARY LEAVES, Vol. IV, pp. 74-83."

As far as I can see and read, I detect I all that has been written, a
constant proffer of assistance and a constant gentle urging to all its
membership to study THEOSOPHY and know exactly what it is. Further, to know
their own history, objectives and development. 

In this connection I suggest you read The THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT (1875-1950).
(350 pages) I believed it costs about $ 7.50 plus postage. It is also
available at most Theosophical libraries. 

Early in the KEY to THEOSOPHY, H. P. Blavatsky writes to establish some
basis in the mind of the reader of what Theosophy stands for. 

In part, she states:

THEOSOPHY IS GODLIKE WISDOM, the word "Theosophy" was found used by
Pythagoras, a contemporary of Gautama the Buddha. It is divine knowledge or
science, such as that possessed by the "Gods."

ITS FIRST OBJECT IS TO INCULCATE CERTAIN GREAT MORAL TRUTHS upon its
disciples.  

Other objects are: TO RECONCILE ALL RELIGIONS.under a common system of
ethics, based on eternal verities. 

And by demonstrating their identical origin, to establish one universal
creed based on ethics. Additionally it aims to reinstate and restore to its
primitive integrity the wisdom of the ancients.

The WISDOM RELIGION (Theosophy) was ever one, and being the last word of
possible human thought, was therefore carefully preserved It will survive
every other religion and philosophy.

Ancient theosophists claimed that the divine essence could be communicated
to the higher Spiritual Self in a state of ecstasy. The latter (also named
"samadhi") is practised by its devotees. It is an incessant endeavour to
purify and elevate the mind. It is: "the ardent turning of the soul,
towards the divine;" not to ask for any particular good, but for the
universal Supreme Good for ALL.  

It states that those ETHICS ARE THE SOUL OF THE WISDOM RELIGION, and are the
common property of the initiates of all nations. Sri Krishna the great
Avatar proclaimed them at the beginning of the present "Kali Yuga" in his
"Gita - song" -- teaching them to Arjuna. And we are all "Arjunas," His
pupils. 

But Gautama Buddha was the first to embody those in his public teachings. It
is the ethics of the Universe, that have always been the most insisted upon.


All these are now called "Theosophical doctrines," because they form part of
the knowledge of the initiates. 

These doctrines belong exclusively to no religion, and are confined to no
society or time. They are the birthright of every human soul. Those who
have imagined Theosophy to be a new religion have hunted in vain for its
creed and ritual. 

Its creed is Loyalty to Truth, and its ritual "To honor every truth by use."


The THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY was organized on this one principle, the essential
Brotherhood of Man. We hold to no religion, as to no philosophy in
particular: we cull the good we find in each. The T S was established as a
philanthropic and scientific body for the propagation of the ideas of
brotherhood on a practical instead of theoretical lines.

The T S cannot make a Theosophist of one who has no sense for the divine
fitness of things.  

"THEOSOPHIST IS, WHO THEOSOPHY DOES."

How is this to be accomplished by those individuals who determine to adopt
this as their personally policy of life?  

It is a difficult undertaking, as the foremost rule is the entire
renunciation of one's personality. He has to become a thorough altruist,
never to think of himself, and to forget his own vanity and pride in the
thought of the good of his fellow creatures, to live a life of abstinence in
everything, of self-denial and strict morality, doing his duty by all men.

If one asks what advantages are received from such a program, the answer is
given: "deriving much strength from mutual aid and sympathy."   

UNION IS STRENGTH AND HARMONY, AND WELL-REGULATED SIMULTANEOUS EFFORTS
PRODUCE WONDERS.  

This has been the secret of all associations and communities since mankind
existed. Its aims and true goal are several, primarily the relief of human
suffering, moral as well as physical. Theosophy has to inculcate ethics; it
has to purify the soul, if it would relieve the physical body. 

AN OCCULTIST PRACTICES SCIENTIFIC THEOSOPHY, BASED ON AN ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE
OF NATURE'S SECRET WORKINGS.  

The divine spark in man being one and identical in its essence with the
Universal Spirit, our "spiritual Self" is practically omniscient, but it
cannot manifest its knowledge owing to the impediments of matter. The more
these impediments are removed, the physical body paralyzed, as to its own
independent activity and consciousness, the more fully can the Inner Self
manifest on this plane. 

OUR BELIEFS ARE ALL FOUNDED ON THAT IMMORTAL INDIVIDUALITY.  

Spirit is potential matter, and matter is simply crystallized Spirit, yet
the original and eternal condition of all is not Spirit, but META-SPIRIT
(visible and solid matter being simply its periodical manifestations) we
maintain that the term Spirit can only be applied to the True Individuality.

SELFISHNESS IS ESSENTIALLY CONSERVATIVE and hates being disturbed. The
power of mental inertia is great in anything that does not promise immediate
benefit and reward. Our age is predominately unspiritual, and matter of
fact.  

Some Theosophical doctrines contradict flatly many of the human vagaries
cherished by sectarians -- vagaries and errors which have eaten into the
core, the very heart of popular beliefs. 

The result is that AN ENTIRELY UNSELFISH CODE APPEALS TO A VERY LIMITED
CLASS -- thus producing slow, up-hill results. 

It is essentially the philosophy of those who suffer, and have lost all hope
of being helped out of the mire of life by any other means..

To me it is important that the philosophy and the logic of Nature be exposed
and referred to, rather than any opinion, mine or another's. Opinions
fluctuate. Facts are stable.

In a sentence: We are born this life into a condition, a nation, a
community, which enables us under karma (which we created for ourselves by
past choosing) to receive and make the best learning change for our own
advance.

Additionally, with knowledge that is true and universal, our choices can be
molded to assist all we are connected to. In this we will be true brothers
and helpful as a quiet example to all.

To 'understand' another means to be able to mentally step into their "shoes"
and perceive their source of opinion. Then weighing ours and theirs
(opinions) we can refer them to an ideal -- a moral norm. From that we can
derive at least for ourselves what we ought to do.

I hope this is of help,

Best wishes,

Dallas

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

PS

JUDGE AS FOUNDER AND VICE PRESIDENT of the T S 

ORIGINAL FOUNDERS of the T S in 1875

Names And History

The following sixteen persons were the ones who during a meeting on
September 8, 1875 took the decision of founding the Theosophical Society.

HELENA P. BLAVATSKY	Cor. Secy.	- died May 8, 1891

HENRY S. OLCOTT	P T S	- died February 7, 1907 (?)

W. L. ALDEN	- left the T.S. on 1881.

Mrs. EMMA HARDINGE BRITTEN -- left the Society very soon but she had a
certain amount of contact with its leaders until 1890.

DR. W. BRITTEN -- husband of Mrs. Emma, left the T.S. early.

JOHN STORER COBB	-- in 1878 he lost interest and disappeared.

GEORGE H. FELT	- in 1877 he was in England proposing the formation of a
Society for occult research with himself as President. Nothing came of this
proposal; no additional information

H. HYSLOP -- he placed his signature; no more information

WILLIAM QUAN JUDGE -- He became one of the most important figures in the
Society. "Difficulties" arose after the death of HPB, which led to the
independence of the American Section of the T S, renamed The THEOSOPHICAL
SOCIETY in America in 1895..
Mr. Judge died March 25, 1896.

D. E. DE LARA -- learned gentleman of Portuguese -Hebrew extraction; he
seems to have remained a member till he died.

CHARLES CARLETON MASSEY - English barrister and literateur.
Left the T.S. in 1879; died 1905. 

HERBERT D. MONACHESI	-- a newspaper reporter; Italian by birth;
dropped out.

HENRY J. NEWTON	-- elected Treasurer; withdrew when he found nobody was
going to show him either Adepts or elementals.

C. E. SIMMONS -- a well-known New York physician; no more information.

CHARLES SOTHERAN -- after HPB and HSO left for India, no mention about him.

H. M. STEVENS -- he placed his signature; no more information

--------------------------------

Other founders who were not present on the September 8, 1975 meeting were:

Dr. Seth Pancoast -- remained a member till he passed away in 1889. 

Judge R. B. Westbrook - in 1877 he was made Vice-President of the
Theosophical Society; no more information.

Rev. J. H. Wiggin - resigned before end 1875.

----------------------------------------

see BLAVATSKY: Collected Works (TPH) Vol. 1

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

NOTE by Dallas TenBroeck


The "difficulties" were created by vague charges and accusations made by
Mrs. Annie Besant concerning Mr. W. Q. Judge as Vice-President T S in 1894.

Mr. Judge, Vice-President T S was exonerated of all charges in London, July
1894 by a Judicial Committee headed by Col. Olcott, P T S.

He did not "lead a secession"  

Col. Olcott had granted the American Section leave to form a separate
Section. [Per letter seen and described and printed by Mr. Smythe of Canada
T S who was present when it was received by Mr. Judge in New York --
published in CANADIAN THEOSOPHIST. Col. Olcott granted the American Section
leave to form an independent Section for efficiency in administrative
processes, owing to the large size of that Section.]

Further details are

--------------------------------


ON AUTONOMY


[ The following quotations deserve their place here in view of the assertion
still made in the T S, Adyar that The American Theosophists and Mr.
W.Q.Judge "seceded" from the T.S. --DTB ]


A 1893 Letter from Col. Olcott

Mr. A.E.S. Smythe, President T S in Canada, wrote the Editors of THEOSOPHY
[ reported on p. 11 of the March 15th issue of Canadian Theosophist, for
1923, Vol. 4, # 1 ] quoting a letter addressed in 1893 by Col. Olcott,
P.T.S. to Mr. Judge in which he read the following :


"If you want separate Theosophical Societies made out of the 	
Sections, have them by all means. I offered this years ago 	
to H.P.B. and even to A.P.S." [ from: Olcott, P T S ]


In the Canadian Theosophist, Vol. X, July 1929, pp 156-7 Mr. A.E.S.Smythe,
President wrote:


"The splitting of the Society was the act of Colonel Olcott who hated Judge.
Judge had expected that the Colonel would recognize the autonomous T.S. in
America and affiliate it with Adyar, but Olcott changed his mind and refused
to do this, and Judge...was much disappointed with the Colonel's refusal.  

I was in the office at 144 Madison Avenue when Judge received a letter from
Olcott postmarked and stamped from Spain, and Judge remarked 'Now everything
will be all right.' But the letter was not what Judge expected and his
disappointment was very obvious. This phase of the situation has never been
explained, and I have never been able to learn whether Judge counted with
warrant on Olcott's support, or whether it was really a right-about-face on
Olcott's part, for Judge certainly expected Olcott to support him. Judge
had collected $ 17,000.00 in America and sent it to Olcott when the Adyar
treasurer embezzled that amount...Judge and Besant were all right till
H.P.B. died and we can honour and depend upon them up till that point.
After May 8, 1891 we have had to depend upon ourselves and should be
charitable to our neighbours."
-- A. E. S. Smythe. "


[ From HPB: "Why I do not Return to India" -- letter 

April, 1890
"...the name alone of the holy Masters...has wrought a mighty change for the
better in your land [India]...so long as I remained at Adyar, things went on
smoothly enough, because one or other of the Masters was almost constantly
present among us, and their spirit ever protected the T.S. from real
harm...[1884] It was during that time and Colonel Olcott's absence in Burma,
that the seeds of all future strifes, and...disintegration of the T.S., were
planned by our enemies... I say, at that critical moment, if the members of
the Society, and especially its leaders at Adyar, Hindu and European, had
stood together as one man, firm in their conviction of the reality and power
of the Masters, Theosophy would have come out more triumphantly than ever,
and none of their fears would have ever been realized...In spite of my
protests, I was hurried away from Headquarters... and immediately intrigues
and rumors began...it was rumored that I had been abandoned by the Masters,
been disloyal to Them...I was accused of being, at best, a hallucinated
medium, who had mistaken "spooks" for living Masters...others declared that
the real H.P.Blavatsky was dead...and that the form had been forthwith
seized upon by a Dugpa Chela...I was a witch, a sorceress...In fact the
powers of psychology attributed to me by my enemies...are so great that they
alone would have made of me a most remarkable Adept--independently of any
Masters or Mahatmas, with the exception of Colonel Olcott, everyone seemed
to banish the Masters from their thoughts and Their spirit from
Adyar...since my departure...the activity of the movement there gradually
slackened...
 
Acting under Master's orders I began a new movement in the West on the
original lines; I founded Lucifer, and the Lodge which bears my name...I
learned that I was once more wanted in India--at any rate by some. But the
invitation came too late; neither would my doctor permit it, nor can I, if
I would remain true to my life-pledge and vows, now live at the Headquarters
from which the Masters and Their spirit are virtually banished. The
presence of Their portraits will not help; They are a dead letter...no
advice of mine on occult lines seems likely to be accepted, as the fact of
my relations with the Masters is doubted, even totally denied by some...the
spread of Theosophy and of the T.S. in the West, during the last three
years, has been extraordinary...I was enabled and encouraged by the devotion
of an ever increasing number of members to the Cause and to Those who guide
it, to establish an Esoteric Section, in which I can teach something of what
I have learned to those who have confidence in me, and who prove this by
their disinterested work for Theosophy and the T.S. The only claim,
therefore, which India could ever have upon me would be strong only in
proportion to the activity of the Fellows there for Theosophy and their
loyalty to the Masters.

Thenceforth let it be clearly understood that the rest of my life is devoted
only to those who believe in the Masters, and are willing to work for
Theosophy as They understand it, and for the T.S. on the lines upon which
They originally established it.
-- HPB "WHY I DO NOT RETURN TO INDIA"

[ This letter from HPB was written and sent with B. Keightley, April 1890.
Published in Theosophist, January 1922. HPB Articles I, pp., 108 - 114 ]


"...the Esoteric Section has nothing whatever to do with the T.S., its
Council or officers. It is a Section entirely apart from the exoteric body,
and independent of it. H.P.B. alone being responsible for its members...the
E.S. as a body, owes no allegiance whatever to the T.S., as a Society, least
of all to Adyar...H.P.B. is loyal to the death to the Theosophical CAUSE,
and those great Teachers whose philosophy can alone bind the whole of
Humanity into one Brotherhood...Therefore the degree of her sympathies with
the "T.S. and Adyar" depends upon the degree of the loyalty of that Society
to the CAUSE. Let it break away from the original lines and show disloyalty
in its policy to the CAUSE and the original programme of the Society, and
H.P.B. calling the T.S. disloyal, will shake it off like dust from her feet.

And what does "loyalty to Adyar" mean, in the name of all wonders? What is
Adyar, apart from that CAUSE and the two (not one Founder) who represent it
? ...
 
There is no longer a "Parent Society;" it is abolished and replaced by an
aggregate body of Theosophical societies, all autonomous, as are the States
of America, and all under one Head President, who, together with
H.P.Blavatsky, will champion the Cause against the whole world. Such is the
real state of things...a Council which is liable at any moment to issue
silly and untheosophical ukases...in a Society which owes its life to them
[she and Col. Olcott], and for which they are both karmically
responsible...she will ever protest against the decision of the General
Council, were it composed of Archangels and Dhyan Chohans themselves, if
their decisions seem to her unjust or untheosophical, or fails to meet with
the approval of the majority of the Fellows. No more than H.P.Blavatsky has
the President Founder the right to exercise autocracy or papal powers...It
is the two Founders and especially the President, who have virtually sworn
allegiance to the Fellows, whom they have to protect, and teach those who
want to be taught, and not to tyrannize and rule over them."	
-- H P B "A PUZZLE FROM ADYAR" Lucifer, Aug. 1889
HPB Articles, Vol. I, pp. 219-220


"...Sections and Branches like the "London Lodge" and others which are
autonomous...Is not the Blavatsky Lodge, like the London, Dublin, or any
other "Lodge," a branch of, and a Theosophical Society ?"	HPB Articles
I 221


====================================
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Anand Gholap 
Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 2:45 PM
To: 
Subject: Did Judge teach hatred ?


It can be easily observed that many members of Judge Society spend 
half the time in criticizing leaders of Adyar TS. 

Is this what Judge taught ? 

Anand Gholap