Archives: The United Lodge of Theosophists

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The United Lodge of Theosophists (ULT) was established by Robert Crosbie (1849-1919), formerly a member of the Theosophical Society under W.Q. Judge and then Katherine Tingley, in 1909: http://www.ult.org/

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Its history and development remain a matter of some controversy, but it was essentially one of the “Back to Blavatsky” movements which sought to reject the “Neo-theosophy” of people like Besant and Leadbeater. Its founding principles include:

  • Recognition of W.Q. Judge as H.P. Blavatsky’s colleague and co-worker from the beginning and hence as one of the original founders of the Theosophical Movement
  • Exclusive adherence to the unaltered works of H.P. Blavatsky and W.Q. Judge along with only those other works that are philosophically in consonance with the aforementioned
  • Rejection of any other “authorities” in the form of “leaders” or “teachers” and reference to all of its associates as “students” with emphasis on self-reliance
  • Absence of organizational elements such as constitution, by-laws or officers and complete reliance on the “similarity of aim, purpose and teaching,” as the only basis of unity
  • Anonymity of living persons who write on behalf of ULT to protect against exaltation of personalities and self-advertising

The ULT was therefore strongly hostile to Leadbeater and Besant. Because of its principle (some might say, obsession) with anonymity, the authors of almost all ULT publications are difficult to identify. It published, to present its version of the history of the Theosophical Society, The Theosophical Movement 1875-1925. A History and a Survey New York, E.P. Dutton & Company, 1925 – available on-line at http://blavatskyarchives.com/garr1.htm#THE – and later The Theosophical Movement 1875-1950 Cunningham Press, Los Angeles, 1951– available on-line at: http://www.phx-ult-lodge.org/theosophica%20lmovement.htm Both works were subsequently assumed to have been written by John Garrigues (1868-1944), one of the leaders of the ULT at the time, and the head of its Esoteric Section – although, of course, the ULT denied that it had leaders and its Esoteric Section (known as the Dzyan Esoteric School) was never referred to publicly until (it seems) I gave a brief account of it in my paper, “The Esoteric Within the Exoteric. Esoteric School within the Theosophical Movement”, to the Theosophical History Conference at San Diego, June, 1992.

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Chapter XX “The Adyar Society” of The Theosophical Movement 1875-1950 deals with, to cite the table of contents, “Leadbeater case—Olcott’s death—Mrs. Besant invites Leadbeater to return—Mrs. Besant creates orders, organizations, and “Liberal Catholic Church”—the “Star” Congress of 1925—“Arhats,” “World-Mother,” and “Messiah”—Krishnamurti’s defection—the passing of Mrs. Besant and Leadbeater—Mr. Arundale recommends the S.D.—Jinarajadasa and “God”—Letter of warning to Mrs. Besant—Mrs. Besant and Olcott admit privately wrong done Judge.”

In theory, the ULT has no leaders and no organization structure. It does, however, maintain valuable libraries and, although this is not publicly acknowledged, archives at its three main centres, Los Angeles, USA – http://ult-la.org/; London, England – http://www.theosophy-ult.org.uk/ ; and Bombay, Indian – http://www.ultindia.org/index.html

I was given access to the ULT libraries in Los Angeles, London and Bombay (although all three denies that any archives did or could exist), which contained valuable material relating to Leadbeater’s “1906 Case” and opposition to “Neo-Theosophy”.

 

 

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