---

The Theosophical Movement 1875-1925

By John Garrigues and others

---

Mrs. Besant Changes Sides

Judge and Olcott personify the opposing issues - the First and Second Sections versus the Third Section - esoteric aspects of the Movement versus the exoteric - "The Judge Case" - the external phase of the battle - the momentous year of 1893 - Bertram Keightley the unconscious agent in the subornation of Mrs. Besant - Keightley originally a staunch supporter of H.P.B. - gets in trouble with Mabel Collins - sent by H.P.B. to America in 1890 - poses as her "representative" - H.P.B. issues famous Notice of August 9, 1890 - disavows Bertram Keightley's "teachings" - says Judge her "sole representative" - recalls Keightley to Europe - sends him to India - he becomes General Secretary Indian Section - becomes an adherent of Olcott's - falls under influence of G.N. Chakravarti - Chakravarti a "psychic" - poses as a "Chela" - Keightley comes to America in spring of 1893 - attends American Section Convention - invited by Judge to select Brahmin and Buddhist Delegates to World's Parliament of Religions at Chicago Fair - Chakravarti chosen - Judge's efforts to allay Brahminical hostility to the T.S. - he warns of "A plot against the Theosophical Society" - Keightley a close friend of Mrs. Besant - he goes to England from America - works on Mrs. Besant - she begins to grow suspicious of Judge - Chakravarti comes to London - Mrs. Besant becomes one of his worshipers - adopts "ascetic" practices - her intimacy with Chakravarti - Mrs. Besant, Miss Muller, and Chakravarti come to America to attend the "Parliament of Religions" - the great success of the Parliament - Mrs. Besant and Chakravarti share honors as the great feature of the "Parliament" - Mrs. Besant succumbs to the lures held out - goes to India in the fall of 1893 - her visit there a regal triumph - how Olcott set the stage - his contemptuous review of Judge's Ocean of Theosophy - prepares the "Adyar Convention," Christmas, 1893 - his Presidential Address - laudatious of Mrs. Besant - sees in Mrs. Besant a messiah from the Masters - the epiphany of Mrs. Besant - intimates a coming storm - understood to refer to Judge - the secret meeting behind the public address - the Christmas night conclave at Adyar in 1893 - Mrs. Besant, Col. Olcott, Walter R. Old, and others plan the assault on Judge - the meeting unknown to the members - Mrs. Besant chosen to hurl the thunderbolt prepared - she writes a formal letter to Olcott Feb. 6, 1894 - makes charges against Judge - demands investigation - next day Olcott writes officially to Judge - demands he resign or stand trial for "misusing Mahatmas' names and handwritings."