Theos-Talk Archives (December 2006 Message tt00050)

"...Mrs. Tingley...at best a self-deluded 
woman, at worst a charlatan...."

An anonymous THEOSOPHY magazine writer/editor writes in the book 
"The Theosophical Movement: 1875-1950" (Cunningham Press, 
1951, p. 288) the following about Mrs. Katherine Tingley:
 
=============================================================
The Theosophical "succession" of Mrs. Tingley thus becomes lost in a
morass of psychic delusion, of claims and counter-claims. If
the "evidence" for it be accepted, Judge becomes a guileless psychic
and a virtual "disciple" of Mrs. Tingley. If the evidence is
rejected, Mrs. Tingley becomes at best a self-deluded woman, at worst
a charlatan, and so, also, her close supporters. . . . .
=============================================================

Most ULT associates I have talked and corresponded with hold this
view of Mrs. Katherine Tingley. And of course this book is still 
promoted and sold by the Theosophy Company and by ULT Lodges.

Now I call the attention to the reader that in the above paragraph 
the writer presents only two ALTERNATIVES to his readers:

(1) If the "evidence" for it be accepted, Judge becomes a guileless 
psychic and a virtual "disciple" of Mrs. Tingley.

or

(2) If the evidence is rejected, Mrs. Tingley becomes at best a self-
deluded woman, at worst a charlatan, and so, also, her close 
supporters.

But I ask:  IS THERE NOT AT LEAST ONE MORE ALTERNATIVE if not more?

A third alternative that the anonymous writer doesn't even consider 
is given by Dr. H.N. Stokes as follows:

(3)  "...is it possible that Tingley was far from being the scheming 
ogre that some [ULT/Theosophy Co. writers] would represent her to be, 
and that Judge knew just what he was about in trusting her....?"
Quoted from:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theos-talk/message/38142

And Robert Crosbie, who founded THEOSOPHY magazine, gave testimony at 
least up to 1904 which shows that he believed this 3rd alternative 
was the true one.  

Crosbie writes:

=======================================================
"We feel that he [William Q. Judge] 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 [Judge]
said, 'she is true as steel, as clear as diamond, and as lasting as
time.'"
=======================================================

Yet again the above anonymous writer in THE THEOSOPHICAL MOVEMENT book
does not bring up Mr. Crosbie's testimony for the reader's 
consideration.

Daniel
http://hpb.cc