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William Quan JudgeLawyer, writer, one of the three main founders of the Theosophical Society.
Date of Birth: 13.04.1851
Country:  USA |
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Biography of William Quan Judge
William Quan Judge was a lawyer, writer, and one of the three main founders of the Theosophical Society. He was born to Frederick H. Judge, a mystic and Freemason, and Alice Maria Quan. Sadly, his mother passed away during childbirth after her seventh pregnancy. William grew up as a frail child and fell seriously ill at the age of six. The doctor informed his family that he would not survive, and soon pronounced him dead. However, much to everyone's surprise, William regained consciousness and gradually recovered. After his recovery, he displayed abilities and knowledge that he hadn't shown before. He seemed both the same and completely different: his family had to get to know him all over again. Nobody knew that he could read, but after his recovery, at the age of eight, he began devouring all the books available to him on mesmerism, phrenology, religion, magic, and philosophy.
Until the age of thirteen, William was raised in Dublin. Then his father moved with his orphaned children to the United States, arriving in New York on July 14, 1864. For a while, the elder Judge and his children lived in the old Commercial Hotel on Cortlandt Street, then on Tenth Street, and eventually settled in Brooklyn. William initially worked as a clerk in New York, and later began studying law at the law firm of George P. Andrews. At the age of 21, he became an American citizen, and in the same year passed the bar examination and obtained the right to practice law. As a lawyer, he specialized in commercial law. He distinguished himself as a lawyer with his meticulousness, perseverance, and hard work, earning the respect of both employers and clients. In 1874, he married Ella M. Smith from Brooklyn.
Blavatsky, Olcott, and Theosophy
Shortly after his marriage, Judge heard about H.P. Blavatsky. He came across a book by G.S. Olcott titled "People from the Other World," which greatly interested him. Judge wrote to the author to inquire about the address of a trustworthy medium. At this time, there was a wave of interest in occultism, and discussions about it were taking place. The experiments of several people, including Blavatsky, at the Eddy Brothers' farm, were widely discussed.
In September 1875, Olcott proposed the formation of a society for the study of occultism, Kabbalah, and related subjects. William Judge, an energetic and idealistic young man, was among those who were at the forefront of the Theosophical Society. When Blavatsky and Olcott left for India in 1878, he continued the Theosophical work in America while maintaining his legal practice. Olcott recalled that despite the leaders of the Theosophical Society moving to India, Judge's enthusiasm for Theosophy and occultism "was unflagging," as evidenced by the letters he wrote to Blavatsky, him, and other prominent Theosophists. In late 1883, the New York Society was transformed into the "Aryan Theosophical Lodge," and Judge was elected its President. In 1884, Judge went to India to temporarily assume the duties of President due to the departure of the leaders of the Theosophical Society to Europe. In 1886, the "Aryan Theosophical Lodge" was transformed into the American Section of the Theosophical Society, and Judge became its General Secretary. In 1886, Judge started publishing the monthly Theosophical journal "The Path," which continues to exist to this day. In 1888, he assisted Blavatsky in organizing her Esoteric School. After Blavatsky's death, Judge became a member of the united external leadership of the Esoteric School. By 1893, disagreements within the leadership of the Esoteric School regarding the authenticity of the Teacher's message led to disagreements between Judge and the leadership of the Theosophical Society. Finally, in June 1895, the American Section of the Theosophical Society declared its "complete and absolute autonomy" and separated into the independent Theosophical Society in America. The organization that originated from Olcott's faction is currently based in India and is known as the Theosophical Society (Adyar), while Judge's organization is known as the Theosophical Society (Pasadena). While continuing his work as a lawyer, Judge traveled to South America, where he contracted a severe form of malaria, which typically claimed the lives of victims twelve years after infection. Judge suffered greatly from this agonizing disease, but never let it interfere with his work. 1896 marked the twelfth year of his illness.
