"RANK HAS ITS OBLIGATIONS"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 36, 11 February 1926, Page 6

"RANK HAS ITS OBLIGATIONS"

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In a short letter to "The Evening Post" the Rev. Robert Wood requests the source of my information regarding Mr. Hodgson's mare's nest discovery of the socalled Blavatsky frauds, which were published by the Psychical Research Society without even asking Madam Blavatsky to defend herself.

Madam Blavatsky was a disciple of one of the members of the Great White Lodge. Those who belong to this Great Brotherhood do not defend themselves when accused. The Christ was, and is, a member of this Brotherhood, and therefore he was silent when accused before Pilate; when reviled, He reviled not again. The disciple of these Great Brothers also do not defend themselves; but a disciple may defend a brother. When the charges of fraud were levelled against Madam Blavatsky they were effectually disproved shortly afterwards by Mr. A. P. Sinnett (editor of the Anglo-Indian paper, "The Pioneer"), and others. Notwithstanding all this the charges constantly re-appear like hardy annuals; therefore Mrs. Annie Besant about twelve years ago wrote a booklet entitled "In Defence of Madam Blayateky," which contains all the information the Rev. Robert Wood requires to convince him, or any other fair-minded man, that Dr. Hodgson could not reasonably do otherwise than recant. His final statement on the matter appears in that booklet. But the S.P.R. has not rushed into print about his confession. It is a regrettable fact that the famous book "Human Personality," by Frederick Myers, also refers at some length concerning the so-called Blavatsky exposures. In 1903 Mr. S. Studd, of _ Melbourne, published a most effective critical examination of the so-called proofs of fraud on the part of Madam Blayatsky. It is only too true that most human beings delight in gossip, and mud-slinging; and as I recently heard a speaker remark, that some of the mud is bound to stick to our own; fingers if we indulge in this practice.—l am, etc., , JOHN GRIFFITHS. 9th February.