Oh the mystery of the Divine Ego back of every manifestation in the physical! Which of us can write truly of that divinity which for a time we see clothed with the body? It was not my privilege to be personally with W.Q.J. often or for any length of time, but the few opportunities I had will always be remembered. My knowledge of him, of his thought, his motives and desires, was gained for the greater part through correspondence and his published writings. I have his letters for seven years covering personal matters and the Society’s work and needs. That he could give to one out of many so much speaks for his untiring energy as well as his kindness and willingness to enter into another’s needs and life. In all this there was ever the one purpose that my own mind might be cleared of difficulties and that the T.S. should be carried forward in the one direction, the spread of Theosophy and of pure ethics.
To a greater extent than I have ever realized l know he entered into my life and I am equally sure into the lives of thousands, and this fact I see we are to acknowledge as time passes more and more. At the present time we do not see clearly his thought in our thought, his direction in our action, the molding he accomplished, but it will show and become more apparent with time and we will be able to look back and see the point at which we turned our course, where we took on the ideas he gave and where he practically placed us in the niche we fill or are to fill in the Great Movement of which he was the Chief. Some of us had called him in private “Chief” for years and it was neither an idle term of endearment, nor one of worship, but rather of loving comradeship, the leading comrade of all, whose direction was most gladly taken. He swore no one to allegiance, he asked for no one’s love or loyalty, but his disciples came to him of their own free will and accord, and then he never deserted them, but gave more freely than they asked and often in greater measure than they could or would use. He was always a little ahead of the occasion, and so was truly a leader.
Who he was in this incarnation, who he had been in other lives, at what points our lives and work may have touched before, all belongs to that mystery of the Divine Ego, seldom known to any one while we remain on this plane of consciousness, but here he was my friend and teacher. To the loving Friend I must bid adieu, but the Teacher I shall not part with. With all of his faithful ones it seems to me this relation may grow more intimate, for we can now seek his meaning without the distraction of current events or of passing troubles, and “Letters that Have Helped me,” his articles on almost the whole range of Theosophy, his remembered sayings, will take on a meaning much deeper than heretofore.
Others with better words will tell of his more intimate daily life, of his greatness of soul, his devotion and self-sacrifice, to all of which I can bear witness.
My Brothers, I think he would be pleased if I put it this way:
William Q. Judge endowed us with a great fund of knowledge, of that which will help us onward, better than riches, a store for the future, ours to use and to benefit by, but after all a trust fund, which we are to administer upon. We are to use this but not to keep it; all that may be ours we must, as he did, give away, pass on to him who needs. Let us see to it that we prove wise and faithful administrators.