The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-18
REVOLT AGAINST OLCOTT,
'Theosophists to Make the
American Section In
dependent.
DR., Anderson Thinks the Fight on
Judge Will Divide the
Society.

There is one delegate who, next Sunday,
will leave this city to attend the National
Philosophical Convention in Boston on the
2Sth inst. who entertains rather gloomy
view of the future of the Theosophical So
ciety as an institution of ethical propagan-
da. That delegate is DR.. Jerome A. An
derson, the acknowledged head of the theo-
sophists of this city. Drs. Allen Griffiths
and Edward B. Rambo have already started
for Boston.
The Philosophical Society consists of the
Hindu section, of which Bertram Height
ley is the secretary; the European section,
whose secretary is George Meade, and the
American section, of which William @.
Judge of New York, the innocent cause of
all the contention, is secretary. These
three officers constitute what is called the
Executive Council" Colonel III. S. Olcott,
with headquarters at Adyar, Hindostan,
being the president of the entire organi-
cation.
Some years ago. and during Madame
Blavatsky's earthly sojourn in the flesh,
Colonel Olcott issued a proclamation at
Adyar, at one of the so-caled anniversary
meetings, in which he radically changed
some vital points of the constitution of the
society. At that time all was enthusiasm
and fraternal unanimity, due to the fasci-
mating radiance of the Illuminated Bla-
vatsky, and none foreseeing what the future
might bring forth or suspecting that any,
thing done by Colonel Olcott would oper-
ate disadvantageously, there was an un-
questioning acquiescence in whatever he
did.
Now the tremendous effect of few
scra tches of his pen are very keenly appre-
ciated and they almost obscure the charges
of Mrs. Annie Besant and Professor Chalk
ravarti, the Allahabad Brahmin, as to the
genuineness of the mahatmic messages
which Mr.. Judge AYERS he has from time to
time received.
Colonel Olcott's proclamation strikes the
American section in it's most vulnerable
part at present, in that he made it possible
for the executive council to expel Mr.
Judge. Hence there is a general revolt
against Colonel Olcott, and the result pre-
dicted is that the American section will
declare its independence and give the
other two sections the option of yielding to
its position In regard to self-government or
remaining entirely separate.
''It is hardly wise to attempt to make
any forecast of the future" said DIR. An
derson yesterday afternoon, ''but it looks
as if the Theosophical Society may posi-
bly, prove failure. When its high officers
cannot agree, what hopes can we entertain
OF any success along the line OF establish
ing universal human brotherhood, which
the society started out to do? l do not
mean to say that the principles of theoso-
ply will fail. No, no They will last for
ever. 1t is philosophy and cannot fail.
But the society as an institution has not
very bright prospect before 1t just at pres
ent.
"Whatever Mr.. Judge has done he did
entirely in self-defense. He was assaulted
4 Dat CI.al-
and was forced to reply. This he did by
means of Circular private circular
which he issued to the school, Now they
are using this very circular as basis for
bringing charges of SANDER against him.
They propose to expel him for SANDER,
when all he did was to simply defend
himself.
"What the Boston convention will do
with regard to Mr.. Judge may be pre-
dicted. / don't think there is any doubt
that he will be reelected as the secretary
of the American section. Twenty years of