The herald., 1896-06-06
MATTERS 7AE0SOPHICAL
DR.. Allen 0riffiths Sees Alleged
Errors to Correct
THE WISDOM RELIGION
Is All Right but Its Advocates and Lead.
ers Sometimes Differ
WISDOM RELIGION
Countess Wachmelster Comes In for q Firmly
Expressed Criticism - Jud9eites Ably
Defended-Second Parlor Talk
(To the Editor of The Herald.)

(To the Editor of The Herald.)
In your June 5th issue appeared re-
ported statements by Countess Wacht-
meister relative to theosophical mat
ters, some of which are misleading. APP
pended are corrections which may dis
abuse the minds of your readers of mis-
conceptions and which 1 respectfully
request space in your columns to make
AS the Countess has much to say of
the 'Judgeites," as she is pleased to term
the Theosophical society of America, a
rev explanatory words upon this head
may not be out of place. Three years
ago certain charges were brought
against Mr.. w. Q. Judge by foreigners.
which Americans, the fellow citizens'of
Mr.. Judge, knew to be false. The Amer
lean members of the society vastly out
number the members of all other coun-
tries, and by virtue of that fact their
declaration and maintenance of the right
to conduct their own affairs was justi-
fed. For several years these baseless
charges were reiterated by un-Ameri
cans which were both subversive of the
spirit OF theosophy and the objects of
the society. Growing weary of the dis
sension caused by foreign interference,
American theosophsts at their annual
convention, held in Boston. April 26,
1895, declared their independence but
extended an invitation to theosophists
elsewhere to join and cooperate with
them 1t is a significant fact that that
action was then unanimously endorsed
by American theosophists, and by a
very large majority of theosophists in
England, Scotland, Ireland, Spain.
Greece, Germany, India, Australia and
other countries, who at once affiliated
with the T. S. A While the T. S. A.
numbers thousands. the Opposition
can only by courtesy be estimated by
hundreds. In word, the T. S. A. is.
with few exceptions. composed of the
nd \
society the world over. So it is quite
apparent that the "Judgeites," whom
the Countess speaks of so slightingly,
is in fact the real theosophical society
originally formed in New York city in
1873. Its branches in the United States
now exceed 100, with over thirty on the
Pacific coast. while the Opposition"
represented by the Countess, numbers
scarcely ten in this country. There may
be three branches of the Countess con-
tingent on this coast. The Los Angeles
branch. t. S. A, located in your city, Is
an active and growing one. Its head
quarters are located at Blavatsky hall.
525 Fifth street. where it has a large
room with a seating capacity of 500, in
which are given public lectures every
sunday morning and evening to large
and intelligent audiences. In the other
parts of the same building are library.
reading and meeting room. The free
N,
and meetings are held almost every
evening. The same prosperous state of
aHalrs exists in many other coast cities
and throughout the United States.
Members of the T. S. A regard the is
sues settled at Boston in 1895 as dead.
They now devote their thought and en-
ergies not in rafting dry bones, but in
spreading knowledge of Theosophy.
Hence the great activity of all its
whonisoever over matters that have be-
come obsolete.
But the countess, foreigner, would
still continue her efforts to interfere
with the affairs of the T. S. A. by as
suming to dictate how they should be
conducted. She criticises Americans for
not electing Col. Olcott president of our
society, and alleges that the colonel is
an American. In this connection we
reply that Col. Olcott has resided in In
dia for the best part of 20 years past,
has repeatedly stated that India is the
home of his adoption and has also been
annointed and ordained Buddhist priest.
While we freely admit the right of Col
Olcott to act as he sees fit in all personal
matters. yet in view of the above facts,
we can not quite appreciate the coun-
tess insistance upon Col. Olcott for
president of the T. S. A, because he is
an American!
The countess has publicly expressed
herself as to what she is pleased to call
bad taste in the matter of our electing
Mr.. f. r. Hargrove president of T. S. A.
The countess is distressed because Mr.
Hargrove. who, she says.'is an English
man, was elected to that office.
Now we only note, in passing, that the
countess seems to jeopardize her re-
puted good taste when she, as foreigner
and non member of the T. s. A., as
sumes to interfere with it's affairs. And
we may add the significant fact that Mr..
Hargrove is not only not an Englishman,
but a naturalized American citizen. hav-
ing taken out his papers long prior to
his election to the office of president of
the T. S. A. Mr. Hargrove has spent
only one-fourth of his lifetime in Eng
land, the other three-fourths were spent