William Quan Judge
Early Theosophy writer
Early Life
William Quan Judge was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1851. A frail child, he became seriously ill in his seventh year. The attending doctor was unable to arrest the rapid deterioration in his health, and after watching the child's life slip through his hands, informed the parents that their son was dead. To the amazement of the family, however, William suddenly revived and slowly regained his health. The recuperating boy was markedly different from the child who had come to the gates of death. After his illness, his parents discovered that William could read – an ability no one had detected before – and he plunged into serious volumes on Mesmerism, phrenology, magic, religion and philosophy.
While William was still young, his mother, Mary Quan, died in childbirth. His father Frederick decided to take his children to America where they might have a better opportunity to develop their talents and earn a living. Arriving in New York in 1864, the family settled in Brooklyn where, despite hardship, William Q. Judge attended school.
Judge joined the legal staff of George P. Andrews as a clerk and soon took an interest in the profession. While preparing himself for the bar, his father died and Judge found himself thrust into the world. He became a citizen in April 1872 and was admitted shortly thereafter to the State Bar of New York where he practised for the remainder of his life, specializing in commercial law. His compassion, integrity, conscientiousness and intelligence were widely recognized, and he was called 'the Christ of the legal profession.'
Marriage
William married Ella Miller Smith, a school teacher, on September 16, 1874. They residence was initially in Brooklyn, New York with Ella's father, Joseph Smith, owner of a shoe store. Their daughter Alice was born on June 13, 1875, but died very young of diphtheria. Joseph Smith seems to have retired, and his son-in-law took over as head of the household, which also included Ella's older sister Joanna. Ella, like her husband, was a Methodist, but her beliefs took a stricter form than his, and she never accepted his interest in Theosophy. She did, however, eventually became member of the Society for a brief time, joining on March 29, 1994.
Legal Career
Judge joined the legal staff of George P. Andrews as a clerk and soon took an interest in the profession. While preparing himself for the bar, his father died and Judge found himself thrust into the world. He became a citizen in April 1872 and was admitted shortly thereafter to the State Bar of New York where he practised for the remainder of his life, specializing in commercial law.
Freemason
Fred Judge [his father] became a Freemason in 1856.
Frederick H. Judge, a Mason and student of mysticism.
Spiritualism
Judge was interested in religion, magic, and Rosicrucianism.
In 1874 thought of looking up spiritualism & finding Col. Olcotts book "People from the Other World," [published in March 1875] I wrote him asking for the address of a medium. He replied that he did not then know but had a friend Mme Blavatsky who asked him to ask me to call. I called at 46 Irving Place New York & made her acquaintance. — Letter from WQJ to Sarah W. Cape, October 1891[3?]
Meeting Madam Blavatsky
Judge wrote to Olcott and asked if he might meet Madam Blavatsky. She consented and Judge met her in her apartment at 46 Irving Place, New York City.
Founding of the Theosophical Society
During a public lecture, H.P. Blavatsky, H.S. Olcott and Judge agreed to found the Theosophical Society, which was formally inaugurated on November 17, 1875. In addition to his daily usefulness to the new Society, Judge helped H.P. Blavatsky prepare Isis Unveiled, both editing and assisting in the development of Theosophical nomenclature.
Failed Business Ventures
After HPB and Olcott left America, Judge became involved in various speculative business ventures because, as he wrote Damodar in March 1880, "I am now striving to accumulate money enough to be able to go there [India], independent of circumstances, and leave my wife with enough, or take her if she will come." (Damodar, Sven Eek, p. 48.) General Abner Doubleday describes this period:
I accepted the position [of President ad interim] at the earnest request of H.P.B., intending to rely principally on Judge for counsel and assistance; but Judge thought he had found a mining locality in Venezuela where many valuable leads could be easily worked. He went to Campana Venez. leaving me ignorant and inexperienced as I was to run the Society without knowing anything of the individuals, that composed it.
Judge returned after a time poorer than he was and in distress because his long absence had destroyed his law business. I now hoped he would be able to devote more attention to the T. S., but he got an offer to go to Mexico, left us suddenly. The enterprise whatever it was failed there too, and he again returned discouraged. — Report by Abner Doubleday to Elliott Coues, President of the American Board of Control (1885-6).
In Venezuela Judge contracted Chagres fever, a lingering disease from which he never fully recovered. By 1883 his ventures in South America had left him penniless with a large debt and no law practice. He gradually liquidated these debts over most of the course of his life. In 1883, he picked up his theosophical work again…
Journey to India
Judge fervently desired to go to India, but did not do so until he was called. In June he received a clear communication to proceed, and he left New York early in 1883. He arrived in Paris on March 25, and was joined by H.P. Blavatsky and Colonel Olcott three days later. As guests of the Count and Countess d'Adhémar, Judge travelled with H.P. Blavatsky to London and Enghien in order to assist her with the initial preparation of The Secret Doctrine.
Judge travelled to India in July, arriving in Bombay on the fifteenth. Three days later he gave a lecture on "Theosophy and the Destiny of India." Warmly received, he lectured as he travelled across India, arriving at the headquarters of the Theosophical Society in Adyar, Madras, on August 10. He had barely settled in when the tragic and vicious attacks launched by the Coulombs broke around Adyar. The character of H.P. Blavatsky was assailed; she was branded an impostor and a fraud. Judge, who knew better from experience, and whose occult perception penetrated to the real causes, kept his head and emerged with a revitalized devotion to the cause of Theosophy and to his Guru.
An American Section of the Theosophical Society
Despite what must have been a frustrating trip, Judge arrived home energized and really to devote more time to the Society. Grace Knoche suggests, "It became clear to Judge that his real work was not in India. It was in America."
In 1886, Judge proposed to Olcott and Blavatsky that an American Section should be formed. With their approval, he took on the new role of permanent General Secretary. He began publication of his magazine The Path, and wrote many articles to fill the pages. "H.P.B.'s admiration of this journal was very marked, and she referred to it as 'pure Buddhi.'"
The Section was greatly invigorated by its first convention, held on October 30, 1886 in the home of Dr. J. D. Buck in Cincinnati. Five new lodges were formed in 1886, six in 1887, nine in 1888, and nine in 1889.
Ushering in Western Occultism
Beginning in 1892 – the year after the death of H. P. Blavatsky – and up until his own departure from the body in 1896, William Quan Judge sometimes spoke of the Theosophical Movement as having a mission to usher in what he called a “new era of Western Occultism.”
This does not mean that the Western Occultism is to be something wholly different from and opposed to what so many know, or think they know, as Eastern Occultism.
He did not for one moment propose or suggest any alteration or dilution of the profoundly Eastern themed teachings of HPB and her Adept Teachers, often known as the Masters, nor did he attempt to introduce any “new” teachings of his own, but always remained faithful and true to the Message and Messenger of the Masters.
We have entered on the dim beginning of a new era already. It is the era of Western Occultism and of special and definite treatment and exposition of theories hitherto generally considered. We have to do as Buddha told his disciples: preach, promulgate, expound, illustrate, and make clear in detail all the great things we have learned. That is our work, and not the bringing out of surprising things about clairvoyance and other astral matters, nor the blinding of the eye of the science by discoveries impossible for them but easy for the occultist. The Master’s plan has not altered. He gave it out long ago. It is to make the world at large better, to prepare a right soil for the growing out of the powers of the soul, which are dangerous if they spring up in our present selfish soil. It is not the Black Lodge that tries to keep back psychic development; it is the White Lodge. The Black would fain have all the psychic powers full flow now, because in our wicked, mean, hypocritical, and money-getting people they would soon wreck the race.
His Death
But his years of continuous labor, combined with the effects of Chagres fever, finally took their toll, and Judge died on March 21, 1896.
Closing
William Judge’s father was a Freemason. Judge got into the occult at a young age. That never changed. Theosophy is the occult. Just a fancy name and a lot of intellectual baggage, but it is still Satanism.