Julia Keightley on Mrs. Tingley
Julia Campbell Ver Planck (later Mrs. Archibald Keightley), who was a trusted associate of William Q. Judge and a well known writer under her pen name "Jasper Niemand" (1), wrote in 1896 the following about Mrs. Tingley:". . . It is well known to members of the Inner Council in America and Europe that the present Outer Head [Mrs. Tingley] has for two years past assisted Mr. Judge in the inner work of the School as his associate and equal. Some of these Councillors were doing important work under her directions, and by the order of Mr. Judge, for some time before he passed away. The present Outer Head had the entire confidence of Mr. Judge and has that of the Council. The Council, composed of members in America and Europe, is in entire harmony and unity on this point, and especially those members of it who were in close touch with H.P.B. during her lifetime. I have lately met, in America, (2) with some hundreds of Esotericists, and I have not met a single one who would not agree to what I say here. . . . For myself, I may say that as early as June, 1894, Mr. Judge told me of the standing of the present Outer Head in the school, and spoke of her work at that time and for the future. I am one among several to whom he so spoke himself. Of his appointment of the present Outer Head there is absolutely no doubt; and there is also no doubt of her entire ability to fill that appointment; or of her right to it; or that it came from and was directed by the Master. . . . " Italics added. [The Search Light (New York), Volume I, May 1898, p. 30.]
(1) Jasper Niemand was the compiler of the two volumes of W.Q. Judge's Letters That Have Helped Me. Theosophical University Press describes these volumes as follows:
"Volume 1 compiled by Jasper Niemand; Volume 2 compiled by Thomas Green and Jasper Niemand. . . . The first, published in 1891, consists of letters written by W. Q. Judge ('Z') to a friend and co-worker, Mrs. Julia Campbell Ver Planck ('Jasper Niemand'). The second volume, compiled after the death of the author [Judge], contains letters and extracts from his letters written to a number of people in different parts of the world."
(2) Julia Keightley and her husband Archibald Keightley visited America in April 1896 to attend the Convention of The Theosophical Society in America. See The Lamp, May 1896, p. 155.
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"William Q. Judge and Katherine Tingley" series of articles
