Seattle Theosophists Tell London and India: We’ll Govern Ourselves

Frank I. Blodgett, who has been absent three weeks in Boston as a representative of the Theosophical branches of Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and Shelton in the convention held in Boston, has returned home and last evening presided at the regular meeting of the local branch of the Theosophical Society. He had a good deal to say regarding the action of the convention in withdrawing from the rule of the society in England and India, and said that the American branch had not seceded, as had been reported, but that the society merely concluded that it could manage its own affairs much more satisfactorily than the society in other countries, for here the people know what they want and know how to get it without seeking permission from some one outside of the country. Concerning the “split,” as some have termed the new organization, Mr. Blodgett said:

“We have not seceded and we have not split; we have simply concluded to govern ourselves. We came to the conclusion that the people who live in England and India, who only come to this country occasionally, do not know as much concerning our needs as we do ourselves. We simply got tired of an obstinate mother-in-law and have told her to take up her residence elsewhere, and she has done so. For a year and a half William Q. Judge has been persecuted by certain members of the society who live in England and India, Annie Besant and others being interested in persecuting him and charging him with fraud in alleging that the letters he claims to have received from the Mahatmas were forgeries. Well, they cannot prove it. We have only Annie Besant’s word against that of Judge, and, as we are friends of Judge, we simply propose to stand by him until he is proven guilty, and that we do not think they can ever prove. Our withdrawal from the other organization is not a declaration of new dogmas, or anything of the kind, but is simply in order to avoid new dogmas. We do not want to be told that we must believe that the Mahatmas are this, that or the other. We don’t care anything about that. All we want to do is to believe in a universal brotherhood and work and live that all may be led to a higher understanding of their lives and what is expected of them. We have stood by Judge for we believe in him. For twenty years he has been the life of the society, and we do not propose to go on him just because some one else has said that he is guilty of fraud, and have no evidence beyond the simple, oft-repeated assertion to prove the charges.

“The story of the American society electing a Theosophical pope, just because we have elected Judge president of the international American branch for life, and have delegated him with authority to nominate his successor, subject to election by the convention duly assembled, is all bosh. Judge deserves it, and in no better way could we have shown our appreciation of his work, or of our belief in his innocence. It will strengthen our society in many ways, and give us a firmer foundation.

“We were almost a unit on the general change and in the election of Judge. Out of 350 votes in the convention, there were only ten dissenting votes to the propositions. When we assembled in convention it was known as the ninth annual convention of the Theosophical Society, but when we adjourned it was known as the first annual convention of the Theosophical Society in America, the new name being taken after the organization for this country was made separate. There is no split, and will be none. Americans will be a unit on this question. Some are complaining about the change, but it is because they have been misinformed on the subject, and after it is explained to them they cannot but indorse the action of the convention.”

The local Theosophical headquarters on Third Street, near Cherry, were elegantly decorated last evening with flowers and plants, the occasion being the fourth annual commemoration of the death of Mme. Blavatsky.