It would require a greater knowledge and more skill than the writer possesses, to portray truly the nature of the one who lived among us under the name of Wm. Q. Judge. Yet there is knowledge of him and of his work for, and relation to, the Theosophical Movement, which is of moment to every student of Theosophy. The object of this article is to place before the reader some considerations which may lead to a true appreciation of him and his place in the most important movement of modern times.
It may seem to some that this will be the laying of too great stress on a personality, a fault to which humanity is prone and in regard to which not a few have learned to be fearful. But it is hoped that it may be shown that while a person is indicated, the real object is to point to a source in which personalities play a necessary part as Messengers to the world of men: having determined the real Messengers, we are then in the position to obtain the Message of Theosophy pure and simple, and can begin its study on a sure basis.
There are many Theosophical organizations in the world today, with different exponents at their heads. The tendency of all these is to consider the heads of the organizations as the true exponents of Theosophy, without much, if any, attempt being made to ascertain what Theosophy is, and whether the various assumptions and claims made are justified.
The basic enquiry, therefore, would lie in the triple question: “What is Theosophy; whence came it; who brought it?”
The answer to the first part of the question can be stated generally in the following terms:
“Theosophy is not a belief or dogma formulated or invented by man, but is a knowledge of the laws which govern the evolution of the physical, astral, psychical, and intellectual constituents of nature and of man.”
The second part of the question is answered by a consideration of Evolution, the law of growth of all beings; which is to say, that all beings of every grade have evolved, and will continue evolving. This implies that all beings below man will some time reach his status, and that all beings above man have at some time in the incalculable past, evolved through similar conditions to those in which humanity finds itself. This presents the fact in nature that there are super-men, a line of Elder Brothers, who continually watch over the progress of the less progressed, preserve the knowledge gained through aeons of trial and experience, and continually seek for opportunities of drawing the developing intelligence of the race on this or other globes to consider the great truths concerning the destiny of the soul. As races evolve and intelligence increases, periods arrive when direct and special efforts can be made by these Elder Brothers. Such a period arrived in the last quarter of last century, and was marked by that expression of the Theosophical Movement known as the Theosophical Society.
The answer to the last part of the question, “Who brought it?” is as important as any other part. For Theosophy, in name at least, has been before the world for over a quarter of a century, and there have been many self-elected exponents who may, for all the student knows, have exploited themselves, obscured Theosophy and diverted its channel for personal ends. It is certain that strange things have been said and done in the name of Theosophy. Therefore, the facts as to “Who brought it,” are of vital importance if we would know what was brought.
Mankind never received anything from higher sources except through some human being; every so-called “revelation” was voiced by some living man among men. There have been prophets and false prophets; the truth or falsity is not determined by the claims of the prophet, but by the nature of the “revelation.” Some person or persons brought Theosophy to the Western World, and in bringing it one of them said and wrote, “It is not a treatise, nor a series of vague theories, but contains all that can be given out to the world in this century. It will be centuries before much more is given.” Another said and wrote, “Promulgate; do not speculate.” Find the right persons and you have the presentation of Theosophy pure and simple. Then, and then only, is one in the position to know whether any claim or statement affirmed to be Theosophical, is so or not.
In 1874, a year before the formation of the Theosophical Society, H. P. Blavatsky and Wm. Q. Judge met in New York. In regard to this meeting Mr. Judge wrote:
“Not as a questioner of philosophies did I come before her, not as one groping in the dark for light 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 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.”
These words must accurately describe a fact; yet, if they stood alone, some might question them. Fortunately for our correct understanding, they do not stand alone, but are confirmed in many ways and at different times by H. P. Blavatsky herself in printed and written records. We cannot question her veracity without questioning Theosophy which she brought; Theosophy proves itself to be true and confirms her truthfulness. If then, H. P. Blavatsky and Wm. Q. Judge mutually record their recognition of each other, and their relation in the work, the meaning is plain.
When H. P. Blavatsky left America, the land of her adoption by naturalization, and the birthplace of the Theosophical Society, she left her colleague, Wm. Q. Judge, to carry on the work in that country which she declared was the cradle of the new Race, and held the crest wave of advancing civilization. It must be apparent that for such a task there would be selected the one best fitted to lay down the lines needed for the great end in view. Error cannot be charged in a matter of such great importance without practically denying the existence of Masters, Their knowledge, and Theosophy itself, for they all stand or fall together.
The history of each great world religion shows at its starting point a personage who was credited with divine knowledge, and upon whose teachings the subsequent form or forms of religion arose. The founder of Christianity appeared as a man among men; he was of lowly birth among a sect despised by the majority of the people of the time. He was accused of many transgressions. His followers do not judge of him by these things, but by the message that he brought; and by that message are enabled to see that many of the transgressions of which he was accused, were protests against the cant, hypocrisy and inhumanity of the time. But who or what was Jesus? Was he not one of many such divine incarnations with a special message to the people he came to? That people, except a handful, neither knew nor understood him; and even among his chosen disciples he was betrayed and denied. Verily, history repeats itself.
What is Theosophy? It shows itself to be as divine a message as any ever given to the world of men, and a more complete one. Who, or what then would be its Messengers? Who but those of that great Brotherhood of perfected beings who, out of Their great compassion, ever work for the ideal progression of humanity.
H. P. Blavatsky and Wm. Q. Judge, in their capacity of Messengers, cannot be separated; They stand or fall together. Those who are found belittling one, will be found belittling the other. Their writings are mutually corroborative and complementary. Studied together, they embody the noblest religious ideal, the highest all-inclusive philosophy, the most practical application; giving the science of life, the art of living, the very knowledge that humanity stands in crying need of.
Let those then who would understand the Theosophical Movement, Theosophy, and its Messengers, consider that it might be true that the persons known to the world as H. P. Blavatsky and Wm. Q. Judge, were but the mortal garments assumed by beings of a higher order; let Their writings be studied from this point of view, and it is certain that a great light will dawn, where before, there was darkness and confusion.