WILLIAM Q. JUDGE departed from his body on the 21st of March, 1896; so it is eminently fitting that this number of the magazine should contain some mention of the one who stood side by side with H. P. Blavatsky from the very first, and who continued to the end of his life in unwavering devotion to her as Teacher and friend, and to the great Cause for which both worked, lived and died.
While H. P. Blavatsky lived there was but one Theosophical Society—in name at least. After her departure from her body, many prominent students were quick to show personal desire for pre-eminence, each according to the opportunity afforded. This gave rise to jealousies, doubts, suspicions, and finally to personal attacks which brought about the first great schism in 1895.
It is not necessary nor desirable at the present time to enter into the history of that period, nor to consider the personalities around whom and by whom the battle was fought; those who know the facts and have the records need no reminder; but for those who may not know, have never heard, or perchance have been misinformed, it is only just and right to say that at the proper time the full facts and records will be placed within the reach of all who care for truth and justice, and this solely that students of Theosophy of the present and future may be placed in a position to judge for themselves.
It must be apparent to the readers of this magazine that William Q. Judge is pointedly referred to continually as belonging to the same class of being as H. P. Blavatsky. The evidence which justifies this attitude will become more and more apparent during the progress of this publication; the end in view being a true basis and a resumption of the work on the original lines laid down.
The mere facts of the birth and death of a human being are of interest only as marking a period of existence; that which is of real interest and importance can only be determined by the nature and quality of influence exerted for and upon the race, and the character which these evidence. So only such events as have a direct connection and bearing will be noted here.
William Q. Judge was born at Dublin, Ireland, on April 13th, 1851. In his seventh year he had an illness supposed to be mortal; in fact, the boy was pronounced dead by the attending physician. To the surprise of all, symptoms of returning life began to appear and a gradual recovery was attained. One of his biographers writes: “During convalescence the boy showed aptitudes and knowledge never before displayed, exciting wonderment and questioning among his elders as to when and how he had learned all these new things. He seemed the same, yet not the same; had to be studied anew by his family, and while no one knew that he had ever learned to read, from his recovery in his eighth year we find him devouring the contents of all the books he could obtain, relating to Mesmerism, Phrenology, Character-Reading, Religion, Magic, Rosicrucianism, and deeply absorbed in the Book of Revelation, trying to discover its real meaning.”
The remarkable change above noted has its explanation in “Letters That Have Helped Me,” Vol. II—page 99, under the caption “In a Borrowed Body,” written by Mr. Judge. Those who understand the teachings of Theosophy in regard to planes of being and action other than the physical, will have no difficulty in seeing the bearing and relation between the article mentioned and the event recorded. It means that a being of power and knowledge consciously took possession of a body which was being deserted by its former tenant, and with a definite end in view. While students of occultism know that such occurrences are possible, they also know that they are extremely rare, and that they portend the entrance into the world of man, of a being who comes to offer aid and guidance to those in sore need of it.
Letting the above stand for what it is worth, it may be asked what other evidence is there which places William Q. Judge in the position indicated?
To whom are we indebted for Theosophy? Unquestionably to H. P. Blavatsky. It was She who brought to the Western world the knowledge of the existence of the Masters of Wisdom. Those who accept the fact of Their existence, cannot doubt Their Wisdom in declaring that H. P. Blavatsky was Their direct agent, nor the fact that it was through Her that all knowledge of Theosophy came. To doubt Her, is to doubt the Masters, for both stand or fall together. All that She has written in regard to Masters, to Their philosophy, or in regard to particular persons in their relation to the Movement, is of equal value, must be given equal consideration. As one has written, “The way for all Western Theosophists is through H. P. Blavatsky. She must be understood as being what she is, or the law of Karma is not understood, or the first laws of occultism. They who undervalue her gift and her creation, have not imbibed the teaching and cannot assimilate its benefits. We cannot ignore the messenger, take the message, and laugh at or give scorn to the one who brought it to us. Woe is set apart—not by Masters but by Nature’s laws—for those who, having started in the path with her aid, shall in any way try to belittle her and her work—still as yet not understood and by many misunderstood. This does not mean that a mere person is to be slavishly followed; but to belittle her—to imagine vain explanations with which to do away with what is not liked in that which is said, is to violate the ideal—is ‘to spit back in the face of the teacher’ through whom the knowledge and the opportunity came—to befoul the river which brought you sweet waters.” Hence, when She writes and places William Q. Judge in a position above and beyond all others, there should be no question in the minds of any.
A few words—of many—written by H. P. B. in regard to William Q. Judge:
“He has been a part of myself for aeons past.”
“I ask no one to help or defend me. But Judge’s case is different, and more difficult of proof or disproof.”
“W. Q. J. is the Antaskarana (the bridge) between the two Manas(es)—the American thought, and the Indian—or rather, the trans-Himalayan Esoteric knowledge.”
“He is the Resuscitator of Theosophy in the United States, and is working to the best of his means and ability, and at a great sacrifice, for the spread of the Movement.”
“My dearest brother and co-founder of the Theosophical Society: . . . We were several to call it to life in 1875. Since then you have remained alone to preserve that life through good and evil report. It is to you chiefly, if not entirely, that the Theosophical Society owes its existence in 1888; and I ask you also to remember that on this most important occasion, my voice is but the feeble echo of other more sacred voices, and the transmitter of the approval of Those whose presence is alive in more than one true Theosophical heart, and lives, as I know, pre-eminently in yours.”
William Q. Judge, writing in regard to H. P. B., and his first meeting her in New York, said:
“She looked at me in recognition at that first hour, and never since has that look changed. Not as a questioner of philosophies did I come before her, not as one groping in the dark for lights that schools and fanciful theories had obscured, but as one who, wandering many periods through the corridors of life, was seeking the friends who could show where the designs for the work had been hidden. And true to the call she responded, revealing the plans once again, and speaking no words to explain, simply pointed them out and went on with the task. It was as if but the evening before we had parted, leaving yet to be done some detail of a task taken up with one common end.”
Similar quotations could be multiplied beyond all reasonable space, but enough has been given to show the trend of all.
What more can be said? Much more—but not here, nor now. There will be printed in the pages of this magazine from month to month, many articles from the pen of William Q. Judge, which will tell their own story.
By the schism of 1895, W. Q. J.’s place in the work and the knowledge of his contributions to it, have been obscured, to the irreparable loss of all concerned; the time has come for a fresh start on a true basis, and with all that the Teachers bequeathed to those who would follow Their Path. For this the United Lodge of Theosophists exists, for this is this magazine issued.