Practical Occultism — William Q. Judge

Letters from March 1889 - November 1889

P.O. Box 2659
N.Y. Mar. 24 1889

My dear Brother Dick:

I have yours and have also received the Dublin T. S. journal. Give my thanks please for the latter. Your letter is interesting, and I would like to hear once a month from Dublin Lodge so as to insert the item in the Path. A little item could be made up for me each month and posted to me. You can see by the Path what way it should be made up. I have great difficulty in getting these items, and trust my countrymen will respond. Just drop the item in the mail and dont bother about formal letters unless you have time. If you send the item on the 10th I will get it on 20th. If later then it is too late.

Am very glad there is activity in Dublin. There always will be activity if members are not afraid, but make it known and follow the words of the Master to me, 'let the society prosper on its moral worth.' That is, teach and promulgate our ethics. They will take hold everywhere, and by giving all people the chance to see the light, you will gain the adhesion of those who are waiting for theosophy, and there are many of those.

The world needs the cure found in our philosophy and ethics, and mystery and esotericism can be left for those to find who are really capable. The majority of men are not fit for the occult, but they are all fit and ready for true ethics and right form of thought.

I have great hopes for Dublin Lodge. I think that paper in Theosophist was from your Lodge, and it is a good paper — much higher and deeper than the sapient commentator who saw fit to add an inadequate note to it.

Our Adyar T. S. proposes some new "transactions," and when they are out we will send over some to dear tea drinking and car driving Dublin.

Present my affectionate regards to all, and believe me, as ever yours

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


May 17 1889
Private
R Wes McBride Esq

My Dear Bro:

With the American gentleman to whom you refer there is nothing now the matter but merely a heavy and perhaps for him dangerous outbreak of egotism and spite. The latter is due to his failure to rule or ruin the T. S. in U. S. for although our Rules permit of no president he has become embittered because we did not all rush to his feet and elect him such. This he has written H P B (I have seen the letter) and she has replied "do theosophical work and hinder not that of others and I'll support you." With him however it is "aut Caesar aut nihil" as by bitter experience I know. As to the other person nothing need surprise. Her letter is a self accusation. The truth is that an Adept named only to a few did actually dictate Light on Path. Throw a mantle of charity over this failure and watch yourself. Light on Path still remains a gem.

Sincerely

WILLIAM Q JUDGE.


New York, U. S. May 22, 1889
21 Park Row,
Rt. Rev. H. H. Sumangala,
Colombo, Ceylon.

Respected sir:

Pardon me, a stranger, for addressing you without introduction, but I trust that I can offer you a sufficient excuse. Permit me therefore to state briefly that I am the Vice-President of the Theosophical Society; the General Secretary of the Society in the United States of America, the President of the New York branch of the Society; and that I was taken into the Church [Buddhist] over which you preside by Col. H. S. Olcott in 1884, at which time I was in India.

My object in addressing these lines to you is, to say that, in my opinion, there now exists in this country an opportunity for the extension of Buddhism, provided that competent men of your country could in some way be obtained to work to that end here. There are nearly 50,000,000 of people in this country, who for many years have been living under a free form of government, who have all been more or less educated, and who all constantly read the thousands of newspapers and magazines which are published here every day. As a result of this freedom of action and of thought they have, to a great extent, come to the conclusion that Sectarian Christianity is more or less of a failure, and especially as they all see its professors failing to follow the law of the supposed founder of the church.

In consequence of the steady efforts made by the Theosophical Society during the last fourteen years, the people have had their attention directed to Theosophical doctrines and to Eastern religions and philosophies, and while it is true that a great number do not know what "Theosophy" means, the greater number of the people know something about Buddhism. I should also say that even Sectarian religious papers here have lately and frequently said, with alarm, that no doubt many people here would flock to hear Buddhism preached. I know that the people of this country are quite ready to understand and be benefitted by a proper exposition of the doctrine of the Buddhist church.

But if Buddhism is preached here solely by an American or European there will be a great disposition to criticise and perhaps laugh at him on the ground that he being a European or American cannot know what Buddhism is, since so many learned Europeans dispute as to its real meaning.

I have therefore for some time thought that if a Buddhist priest, or more than one, were to come here and work with the people, churches could be founded and the doctrine disseminated very widely and rapidly; and I thought that perhaps you might be able better than any one I know of to either find such willing persons or to designate them for the work.

I cannot now however offer any livelihood or money to carry on such work, but if I had a favorable reply from you I might be able to make arrangements in respect to the living here of such a person. And if such an one were to be sent here he would have to be a tried and proved man, because he would be subjugated to various temptations, such as flattery, adulation, attempts to draw him into a faction, or to convert him to some other method or belief. I speak from experience in respect to this for I have seen such things occur here with men who came from eastern lands.

I beg therefore that you will take this matter into consideration and that you will favor me with a reply, for I have this matter very much at heart, and in consequence of a very wide acquaintance with the religious thought of the people here, I am satisfied that true Buddhism preached by a Buddhist priest properly authorized by you, would secure many believers.

Permit me to subscribe myself, with great respect,

Sincerely yours,

WILLIAM Q. JUDGE


June 4, 1889
Mr. Peter Long,
St. Paul, Minn.

Dear Sir and Brother:

The charges of fraud against Madame Blavatsky have been often made and as often refuted. The last, the one to which you refer, is of the peculiarly outrageous and virulent type. In conjunction with Dr. Keightley of London, an intimate friend and member of the household of Madame Blavatsky, I have prepared a conclusive answer to this charge, which went to the printer this morning and will be sent to every F. T. S. in a few days. This will give you more information than I can at present write out.

If you will read the "Occult World," "Incidents in the Life of Madame Blavatsky," and the last chapter of the "Wilkesbarre Letters" you will see much about the character and life of our Honored Head. Further, if you wish to see the demolition of Mr. Hodgson's "Exposure" of Madame Blavatsky, you can read the pamphlets entitled the "Occult World Phenomena" by Mr. Sinnett, and the pamphlet by Dr. Hartmann in which are given the affidavits and other testimony of the witnesses who were present at the very phenomena which Mr. Hodgson attempted to deny. Mr. Hodgson's pamphlet was a report to the Society for psychical research.

There is to me something peculiarly incongruous in the idea that a person who is really a trickster and a fraud should, nevertheless, sacrifice health, property, and almost life in an effort to promote a system of the purest morals and the highest spirituality. Tricks are resorted to for personal advantage or profit in some form; but in Madame Blavatsky's case all personal advantage has been disregarded from the very first, and her life has been one of constant hardship and self-sacrifice. Of course self-sacrifice does not prove the truth of doctrine, but it certainly shows the sincerity of the person practicing it.

I have myself known Madame Blavatsky most intimately for 14 years, and my opinion of her disinterestedness and integrity was never more than it is now and I know her to be all and more than is claimed by her best friends.

Very truly and fraternally yours,

WILLIAM Q. JUDGE

Dr. Coues is a Theosophist who seeks personal aggrandisement and failing in that tries to damage those who would not let him seize the T. S. to use it for his own vanity.

Hodgson's "expose" is only to be had from the Psychical Res. Soc. of London.


Gen. R P Hallgreen.
June 12th 1889

Dear Sir and Brother,

In reply to your letter: I think if you will examine your papers that you will find that members of E S are not asked to protest as such. As members E S and therefore presumably having the honor and defence of the whole Society and its leaders at heart more than others, they are asked to protest against such things as come under their notice. They are not asked to buy all papers and search for attacks, but to protest against such when found.

No person is to be kept in the dark. All have right to just so much Wisdom as they are fitted to receive or such power as they are fitted to exercise. Reflect that astral powers are a very serious responsibility as a possession and the Wisdom in their use cannot be appreciated much less acquired by all indiscriminately.

The Wisdom and the powers connected with it will be acquired by you and all men as they fit themselves for it and as they can make their rightful demand felt by [indecipherable] to give. Mme Blavatsky is doing a great work for the world and she gives to E. S. knowledge which she alone possesses. At least she is the only possessor of the knowledge to whom all men alike can obtain ready access. Therefore she demands that those who wish to be her pupils shall help her in the work she is doing for Humanity and shall themselves practise the axioms and work for the Theosophical Society.

I thank you for your rec. of the "Instructions."

We have an American Edition of Patanjali which contains the Indian Edition $1.00 of which I enclose you prospectus. We will forward it on receipt of reply. The Indian Ed cannot be had.

Yrs fraternally,

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


June 13, 1889
Mr. Jakob Bonggren,
Chicago, Ill.

Dear Sir and Brother:

Many thanks for your circular. . . .

I congratulate you on your correct understanding of the pledge with regard to the documents. As there is to be a re-organization of the E. S. I trust that all black sheep will be speedily got rid of and left to their karma, for which I sincerely pity them.

Yours fraternally

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


June 17, 1889

My Dear Mr. Higgins:

I send you the Charter herewith, and was obliged to put in the names in the order in which they appeared in the application. I do this early this morning so that you may get it and hence cannot say much, but I do want to say that thinking over last night what you said about Somner and Co, there is "another" that fights for us and I do not think that you need bother your mind in any respect about it. Indeed my experience in this is (as distinguished from other matters) that when plans are laid in any way with respect to the motives of others we are likely to fail. And I know also that while the opposition you speak of may be made it will affect nothing. All the mistakes made by them will be for our benefit provided we act without interest in results. I will send the books soon.

Sincerely yours,

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


June 21, 1889
To the Editor of The journal, Chicago, Ill.

Dear Sir:

Will you give place for a small act of justice?

In your issue of June 15th the Rev. David Swing has an article entitled "A New Gypsy Queen," in which he says that Madame Blavatsky receives gold from the chelas as they sweep by. This is no doubt a fine piece of sarcasm, but as it is utterly false it does a great injustice to Madame Blavatsky, whose friend and lawyer I have been for 15 years past. As such permit me to say that her property is as follows, and no more: an interest in the "Theosophist" which does not pay; an interest in the magazine "Lucifer" which is in debt; a copyright of the book "Isis Unveiled" which in 11 years has paid her about $300; a copyright of the "Secret Doctrine" which has not yet paid.

As General Secretary of the Society above named referred to in Mr. Swing's article, allow me to say that Madame Blavatsky receives no part of any of the fees of such Society, and that such fees are the large sum of $1 a year from each member.

Will you permit me to ask whether the Rev. gentleman, David Swing, receives a salary?

Yours truly

WILLIAM Q. JUDGE


July 6, 1889.

My Dear Olcott:

I wish to inform you of an important matter in confidence for the present and so that you may be advised.

As lately the enemies of the T S here in the persons of Coues and Bundy of the R P J [Religio-Philosophical Journal] have become very virulent and determined to hurt and impede us in every way and by any means, and as I found out that Coues had the idea of incorporating under our name and thus scooping us and afterwards enjoining us, I made up my mind that it was time to get ahead of him, so I have incorporated a Society under the name of the THEOSOPHICAL SOCIETY AND UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD under our state laws, and have had the same done as far as possible by our best members in the other states. We shall present the charters to the next convention and thus protect the society from those who wish to do it harm.

This does not mean that the T. S. is incorporated for it will take time to get all the Branches in under this; but it is only a matter of time and letter writing. I do not think it is well to make mention of this yet until we have all fixed. Of course at the convention we will as usual declare and continue our allegiance to the headquarters.

Can't you put a stopper on Harte. He is running wild and using the magazine to announce and enforce his private views and they by no means are those of the majority. You had better look out also for his over zeal or he will get the T S in India into a box meddling with things not in its purview. It is in his mind, and although I like him I also know him and know that you must keep him down to good well defined editing and not let him run off with the machine. I have written to him until I am sick but can get nothing out of him. His change of rules was a fad that we sat on here years ago and he knew that this section emphatically was opposed to such changes. And that he has not yet explained and I have asked him to many a time. I am in dead earnest, and am quite willing that he should know all that I say; I know him to be the most unpractical man that ever lived and one who should keep his hand out of the administration pie. Just read the June Theosophist and tell me what you think of the first article. Are we to have a Rome at Adyar, and what is he driving at unless he means to turn the society into some outside reform, and thus cripple it?

As ever yours,

WILLLIAM Q JUDGE


Sep 3, 1889

My dear Pryse:

I have your letter, and fully appreciate your feelings as they resemble my own.

I do not think your position is so strange or remarkable as to be beyond our ken, nor do I look at your experiences as being solely mediumistic, nor at the dream or vision as unsolvable. You are now struggling with the personal self in the early stages, and can consider yourself fortunate that you have the chance to overcome in the initial battle.

1. You have a natural tendency — as everyone — to accentuate your own experience. Pray consider it first of all as worthless, and then you will be in position to understand it and not before.

2. Your vision that when you looked at H P B and saw no old woman but a God is correct. You were privileged to see the Truth — For the Being in that old body called H P Blavatsky is a mighty Adept working on his own plan in the world. And thus we do not need to go to Tibet or S. America to find the sort of Being so many wish to see. Yet having seen the reality better keep silent and work with that in view. For even did you go and tell Him you knew He was there he would smile while he waited for you to do something such as you could in your limited sphere. For flattery counts not and professions are worse than useless. But it is a great thing to see as much as you have, and a greater thing it will be if you do not doubt for you may never see it again.

3. The other, about the Tree etc was a vision — or dream — given you to show you the Path. The old tree is H P B and the short cut lies through her. And it will remain open only 10 years or so. The upset and the cane and all that mean that you may be or are upset as is natural. What then are you to do? Just wait first, and second, try to get the calmness — of despair if need be — of certainty, hope and faith if possible.

You are making too much fuss with yourself. Call this all natural and having drawn the lesson, say that it dont amount to much, that you are not a great seer nor saint nor villain, but that you will strive to the light and to do some work such as fate shall permit, in the Cause of that Being. Altruism does not refer only to money. It refers to everything.

I will confer with you so that we may see if you are on firmer ground and if there can be anything done or planned.

Meanwhile I am

As Ever yours

WILLIAM Q JUDGE.


P. O. Box 2659. 21 Park Row,
New York, Sep 9 1889.

Dear Bro Dick

Yours of 27 Aug. recd. Am in an awful hurry and so must be brief.

Lane was an awful liar and all he says or said about me is a lie. There is really nothing to puzzle if we keep our minds off of persons and their acts. But as to H P B you cannot judge her by any rule. There is a great Adept there and he uses that body for His own purposes, both for use and for trial of others.

Am glad you stand right and hope you always will. All is well here and in a rush.

Sincerely

WILLIAM Q JUDGE.


N. Y. Oct 11, 1889
Private and not for publication.
E. I. K. Noyes, Esq.

Dear Sir and Bro:

I beg to acknowledge yours enclosing copy of letter sent by you to Col. H. S. Olcott, for which latter accept my thanks. Yours to me was unsigned.

It seems useless to argue all the matters set forth in your two favors, or to tell you my own position, since you have started out with absolute misrepresentations of my attitude and ideas and conduct and with imaginary straw obstacles which you wish to demolish.

The only thing in yours with which I fully agree and have always asserted, as you can find in print if you care to look, is that there should be and shall be no popery and no hero worship in the T. S. That is well known — except perhaps to you — to be my position.

Our great Theosophical desideratum is justice, another is truth, and another is accuracy. Justice to the T. S., to you and to me would have required you to find out upon what charges and by whom Dr. Coues was expelled; truth would have demanded that the facts be stated, and accuracy would have prevented your mixed up together matters that had no relation to each other.

Mme Blavatsky's name was not mentioned in the expulsion of Dr. Coues as a cause therefor. He was not expelled for expressing his opinion about her, and the entire Ex. Com't. voted upon the charges. His expulsion was the culmination of some years of his efforts to hurt the T. S. and its members. The Gnostic's charter was revoked because it paid no dues, made no reports and had no actual existence, being without any officers and holding no meetings.

It is untrue, as you impute, that I have publicly said that the T. S. is H. P. B.; or that I have publicly said she was "as I thought an Adept." My private opinion as to what or who she is has nothing to do with this matter, nor is it a concern of yours, and you didn't act fairly in stating what you did about that in yours to Col. Olcott.

Do not imagine that I have any quarrel with you. Far from it. I desire simply to lay facts before you about which you did not become informed before acting, and to state that you seem to wish to place me in an attitude I never assumed and never would and have always written against. Hence I ask if you think you have acted fairly and in a brotherly spirit to me.

Yours fraternally,

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


Oct. 16 1889

Dear Dick

Your long letter at hand, and have made a good item of it for Path. Give me good a/c of H S O's pilgrimage and I'll print it. Long Ireland may live! and Bully for Allan! Give him my best fraternal and all other regards. Wish I were with you to see the fun as there is enough dirt here in the U. S. to make a man sick. Glad B. K. is to go too, as he needs it and he's a splendid fellow: of such there be few. Send along one of your booklets. Have started a small press here with an F T S in charge and shall print lots and save expense.

If you dont give me a/c of H S O I'll never get it. Lane has petered out. He was very bad, but he's trying all over the U S to hurt us. It's a big territory 4000 miles across and it'll take him a good while.

Love to all. As ever

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


N.Y. Oct. 20 1889

Dear Throckmorton:

Yours just at hand. You are right about the scale. All depends upon that, but we cannot yet find out the various scales since we are not prepared for it. The sound is basic and is used in every nation. The Masons have it and speak of it in the 28° of the Scottish Rite, but of course know really nothing of it. They even go so far as to call it a substitute.

In writing it is not possible to properly explain it. But as the key of "f" is the Key of Nature, that is the one to use. However at first the key is hardly important because but few if any get any key right and our keys are on the piano which is false.

I explained fully to Page, but as there is always a good deal of diffidence in anyone when trying this before others he probably was affected by that. But the first sound is a sort of mournful Ah, the 2d is oo and the 3 must be pronounced smoothly together. This is a matter of practise.

There is the greatest difference between the effect of its pronunciation aloud and any mental use of it. The other words are intended to carry off the vibration of Aum when reached so that they shall go all over the bodily frame.

This is about as well as I can do in a letter. The caution given in the Instructions about not using it in anger or folly should be observed, for there are forces at work in the E. S. that its members do not see or understand.

Sincerely yours,

WILLIAM Q. JUDGE

Please read this to Page and Kerr.


N Y. Oct. 20 1889

Dear Throckmorton

1. Lane is out of E S but has from T. S. He can stay as far as wittingly he will cause good. The open letter seems to me to be clearly only in reference to the E. S.

2. Much obliged for the diagram. It is interesting and so is the addendum.

3. As to the word and its pronunciation. There is no inbreathing. Inbreathing means death. It is all outbreathing. It begins Ah mournfully and the next is run into it. The thrill is a symptom of its being done right. There should also be as it were another oversound as from another sphere a person produced. The varieties of its pronunciation are infinite as the musical scale. And of course we have not got the right absolutely right sound, for that would blow up St Louis.

If properly done it will do good physically and mentally. Never should it be done in anger nor with evil thoughts.

Read this letter from 3 to your group and also, please write Mrs Slater and ask her to meet you and Mr Page same day so that you can give her the word and its sound for her use. She is in correspondence group.

Fraternally

WILLIAM Q JUDGE

Sec to H P B.


October 29, 1889
Mr. Samuel H. Clapp,
17 Lansdowne Road, Holland Park, London W, England

My dear Sam: —

Was glad to get your letter and Alec was very much pleased to hear about you. I need hardly say that I hope you will make a straight hit there and keep matters concerning yourself as they ought to be, for otherwise American stock will not only remain below par but will cease to have any value and furthermore will be considered as distinctly dangerous. There is fun over there no doubt. About your resignation you can fix it any way you like, either remaining as a member-at-large or the Aryan. Which do you wish? I am as usually very busy. In fact so busy that neither Alec nor I know whether we are the work or the workers. For God sake try and make the London people do up their packages for this Country in some manner that is respectable and with stiff paper. I will let the Countess know later on about the T. P. S. pamphlets.

Sincerely as ever,

WILLIAM Q JUDGE


Nov. 23, 1889.

Dear Griffiths:

Very glad to hear from you and to receive the report of the Convention. It appears to be the fact that all those who earnestly work are men and women who have to work hard for their living. I am like you, and have:

(1) the Path (2) the T. S. (3) the N. Y. T. S. (4) My law business (5) the E. S. etc etc. It is ceaseless. . . .

____________________

Now as to E. S. Important. 1st H. P. B. says that U. S. Lodges shall be numbered but they may use a name among themselves.

2d The number must not be given out.

3d The place of meeting must not be divulged outside of the group nor its number. This is a definite and absolute rule that must be followed.

I have known of this rule a good many years. H. P. B. has mentioned two or three lodges to me such as Luxor etc but has never divulged the place of meeting neither to me nor to Olcott. Please therefore inform all the groups in your Section. If it has been unintentionally broken in the past it must be sacredly kept in the future. This is about all the strict rules of the kind just now.

The "Voice" is out. It is splendid, and shows what true occultism demands.

Sincerely yours

WILLIAM Q JUDGE



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